The way India’s star female wrestler Vinesh Phogat won three matches one after the other and made it to the finals on 7 August in the Paris Olympics and ensured at least a silver medal for India, it seemed that this time she would return home with a gold medal. This dream of crores of Indians along with Vinesh Phogat has been shattered. Vinesh Phogat made it to the finals by winning all her three matches in the women’s 50 kg category on Tuesday. During this, Vinesh also defeated Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Susaki, who had not lost a single match and a single point in her career before this match. On Wednesday morning, the news came that Vinesh Phogat has been disqualified. This means that she has been declared ineligible to play in the final match. Vinesh Phogat’s weight was 100 grams more than the prescribed weight and due to this she has been disqualified.
What is the rule regarding weight in wrestling?
According to the rules of weighing, the wrestler is weighed on the day he has to fight. The matches of every weight category are held in two days, so the wrestlers who reach the final or repechage have to weigh themselves on both days. While weighing for the first time, the wrestler has 30 minutes to weigh himself. He can weigh himself as many times as he wants during this time. During this time, it is also checked whether the wrestler has any infectious disease and whether his nails are cut very short. The wrestlers who have to compete for the second consecutive day get 15 minutes to weigh themselves. According to the rules of United World Wrestling (UWW), if the wrestler’s weight is more than the prescribed weight, then he will be declared disqualified.
