NEW DELHI: Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat has announced her retirement following her disheartening disqualification from the Olympics, stating she no longer has the strength to continue. The 29-year-old, disqualified for being 100 grams overweight before her 50kg category gold medal bout on Wednesday, shared her decision on social media.
Bajrang Punia, another prominent Indian wrestler, expressed his sadness over Vinesh's decision.
He took to social media and wrote: "Vinesh, aap haari nahi, haaraaya gaya hai (Vinesh, you haven't lost; you have been defeated."
"Hamaare liye sadaiv aap vijeta hi rahegi, aap Bharat ki beti ke saath-saath Bharat ka abhimaan bhi ho (For us, you will always be a winner. You are not only the daughter of India but also its pride)," he further wrote.
Vinesh, who made history by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the gold medal bout in her category on Tuesday, was assured of at least a silver medal before her disqualification. She announced her retirement on Thursday morning, posting an emotional message on social media.
"Ma, wrestling has won, I have lost. Please forgive me, your dreams and my courage, everything is broken."
"I don't have any more strength now. Goodbye wrestling 2001-2024. I shall be indebted to you all. Forgive (me)," added the two-time world championships bronze-medallist.
Vinesh appealed her disqualification from the Olympic finals on Wednesday to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), requesting to be awarded a joint silver medal.
1/10:Paris Olympics: Heartbreak for Mirabai Chanu after Vinesh Phogat's disqualification on Day 12
<p>Paris Olympics: Heartbreak for Mirabai Chanu after Vinesh Phogat's disqualification on Day 12</p>PTI
2/10:Priyanka Goswami
<p>Suraj Panwar and Priyanka Goswami did not finish the Marathon Race Walk Relay Mixed Final.</p><li></li>PTI
3/10:Diksha Dagar
<p>Diksha Dagar and Aditi Ashok were tied for 7th and 13th, respectively, after the first round.</p>PTI
4/10:Sreeja Akula
<p>India (Sreeja Akula, Manika Batra, Archana Girish Kamath) lost 1-3 to Germany in the Women’s Team Quarterfinal</p>PTI
5/10:Sarvesh Anil Kushare
<p>Sarvesh Anil Kushare (2.15m) failed to qualify for the Men’s High Jump final.</p>PTI
6/10:Jyothi Yarraji
<li>Jyothi Yarraji finished 7th with 13.16s in the Women’s 100m Hurdles Round 1 Heat 4.</li><li></li>PTI
7/10:Annu Rani
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8/10:Antim Panghal
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9/10:Praveen Chithravel
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10/10:Mirabai Chanu
<p>Mirabai Chanu finished fourth in the Women’s 49kg final, missing out on a medal.</p>PTICuban wrestler Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, who lost to Vinesh in the semifinals, took her place in the final against American Sarah Ann Hildebrandt. Hildebrandt won the bout to claim gold, and Vinesh is now hoping that CAS will award her a joint silver medal with Lopez.
However, the international governing body of the sport, United World Wrestling (UWW), has made it clear that the current weigh-in rule cannot be altered at this time.
