A wrestler was disqualified from the Paris Olympic Games for a harsh reason.
For most athletes, winning a medal – whether that be gold, silver or bronze – is a dream which very few competitors actually achieve.
However, during the Paris Games back in 2024, Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat thought years of hard work had finally paid off when she qualified for the final of the women's 50kg freestyle event, guaranteeing her a medal in the process – or so she thought.
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This came after she had exited the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics after sustaining a tear of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her left knee.
Five years later, in Tokyo, Japan, she was battling through the after-effects of a concussion and COVID-19, to add to the fact that she was without a designated physio and missed out on a medal.
And just when Phogat may have thought it was her time in the sun, she was disqualified from the 2024 Games for a brutal reason.
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Ahead of her 50kg freestyle final against American Sarah Hildebrandt the Indian athlete weighed in just above the permissible limit on the morning of the contest.
According to Olympic wresting rules, athletes have to show weight both on the morning of the preliminary rounds and the morning of the final.
She was reportedly spotted skipping in a sweatsuit following her semi-final win, in a last-ditch attempt to fall within the weight limit.
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India Today even reported that Vinesh collapsed after her disqualification and was admitted to hospital due to suspected dehydration.
An Indian Olympic Association statement read: "It is with regret that the Indian contingent shares news of the disqualification of Vinesh Phogat from the Women's Wrestling 50kg class.
"Despite the best efforts by the team through the night, she weighed in a few grams over 50kg this morning. No further comments will be made by the contingent at this time.
"The Indian team requests you respect Vinesh's privacy. It would like to focus on the competitions on hand."
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Shortly after her disqualification, Phogat announced her retirement from wrestling and released a statement which read: "Wrestling won and I lost. My dreams are shattered.
"Goodbye wrestling 2001-2024. I will always be indebted to you all. I am sorry."
Phogat has since entered the world of politics in her native India and is a current member of the Legislative Assembly in Haryana.
Luke Alfred Davies