Wrestler Vinesh Phogat was disqualified before the women's 50 kg freestyle final at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday after being over overweight, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) said. The update sent shockwaves across the internet, with her supporters expressing their angst and heartbreak.
Among those leading the reactions was industrialist Anand Mahindra.
“NO! NO! NO! Please make this a bad dream that I will wake up from and find it isn’t true,” Mahindra wrote on X (formerly Twitter), minutes after the news broke of Phogat being disqualified from Paris Olympics 2024.
“The extra 100 g is from that invincible medal she has been wearing all this time,” entrepreneur Vishal Dayama said on X.
As fans and supporters of the ace wrestler poured in their notes of support for Phogat, “100 gm” was a top trend on X.
‘You’ve already won gold'
“For us Indians, you've already won gold Vinesh,” another user said.
Vinesh Phogat, 29, had created history by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the gold medal bout in the event on Tuesday night.
{{/usCountry}}Vinesh Phogat, 29, had created history by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the gold medal bout in the event on Tuesday night.
{{/usCountry}}"She was found overweight by 100gm this morning. The rules do not allow this and she has been disqualified," said an Indian coach.
The disqualification means that the feisty wrester from Haryana will end medal-less in the Games as international rules stipulate that any grappler found overweight at the time of weigh-in ends up at the bottom of the final standings.
(Also Read: ‘She has more spine than you, sir’: Minister trolled for lauding Vinesh Phogat. See his response)
Vinesh Phogat was the face of the wresters' protest against former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is facing allegations of sexual harassment.
Her feat at the Olympics on Tuesday was seen as a riposte to those who criticised her for her key role in the prolonged wrestlers' protest.