Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat has been disqualified from the 50kg freestyle wrestling final at the Paris Olympics for being overweight. Consequently, she will not be awarded any medal and will be ranked last, removing her from the competition. Sarah Hildebrandt from the USA will now claim the gold medal, with no silver medal being given in this category.
Vinesh’s uncle, Mahavir Phogat, confirmed the development, stating that Vinesh was 100 grams overweight on the day of the final. “Vinesh will not get any medal now. She weighed 100 grams overweight on the day of the final and hence, was disqualified,” Mahavir said.
United World Wrestling (UWW) Rules
Weigh-In Protocol
According to the rules set by United World Wrestling (UWW), wrestlers are weighed on match day and are only allowed to compete if they meet their category’s weight requirements. Any increase in weight, no matter how slight, results in disqualification.
On Tuesday (August 6), Vinesh weighed exactly 50kg and was allowed to compete. However, before the final, she was found to be 100 grams over the limit and despite efforts to shed the weight, she could not meet the requirement, leading to her disqualification.
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Specific Rules
1. Daily Weigh-Ins: Each morning, a weigh-in is conducted for the wrestlers in the concerned weight category. On the second morning, only those participating in repechages and finals are required to weigh in. This weigh-in period lasts for 15 minutes.
2. Medical Examination: Wrestlers must undergo a medical examination on the first morning. They must appear with their license and accreditation.
3. Weigh-In Attire: The only uniform allowed for the weigh-in is the singlet. Wrestlers must be in perfect physical condition, with very short fingernails. No weight tolerance is allowed for the singlet.
4. Scale Access: Wrestlers can get on the scale as many times as they wish during the weigh-in period. Referees must check that all wrestlers meet the weight requirements for their category and fulfill all other necessary conditions.
5. Disqualification: If a wrestler fails to meet the weigh-in requirements, they will be eliminated from the competition and ranked last without rank. An injured athlete on the first day does not need to attend the second weigh-in and retains their results.
Conclusion
Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification highlights the strict adherence to weight categories in wrestling, emphasizing the importance of meeting all requirements to compete at the highest level. This incident underscores the meticulous nature of the weigh-in process and the severe consequences of even the slightest deviation from the prescribed weight limits.
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