"Your dreams and my courage are shattered. I don't have any more strength now."
India's Vinesh Vinesh (red) wrestles Cuba's Yusneylis Guzman Lopez (blue) in their women's freestyle 50kg wrestling semi-final match at the Champ-de-Mars Arena during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, in Paris on August 6, 2024. (Photo by Punit PARANJPE / AFP) (Photo by PUNIT PARANJPE/AFP via Getty Images) PUNIT PARANJPE, AFP via Getty Images
Phogat, 29, is a three-time Olympian and one of India's best-known wrestlers, particularly after her public involvement in protests against the former top official of the country's wrestling federation, who had been accused of sexual harassment. She was one of several female wrestlers in India who had called for criminal charges to be levied against the official, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who was ousted from his post last year.
Phogat won two bronze medals at world championships over the past five years plus an Asian Championship in 2021, all in the 53-kilogram weight class. In Paris, however, she dropped down to 50 kilograms − and her first day of competition could not have gone more smoothly.
Phogat started off Tuesday with a stunning upset of Yui Susaki, a Japanese wrestler who had never lost a match against an international opponent and won gold at the Tokyo Games without conceding a single point. She then squeaked by Oksana Livach of Ukraine and beat Yusneylys Guzmán of Cuba to qualify for the gold-medal match against American Sarah Hildebrandt.
At the end of that first day, however, Phogat's weight had increased by almost 6 pounds, according to Indian news reports. The Indian Olympic Association said she spent all night sweating in a sauna and working out, with restricted food and water, in an effort to get back down to 50 kilograms by Wednesday morning.
As a last resort, she even cut her hair. But it was not enough, and the IOA said she was later hospitalized for possible dehydration.
"After three tough matches against world class opponents, no athlete should have to spend the night preparing for a gold medal in this manner," NBC commentator and 2012 Olympic gold medalist Jordan Burroughs wrote on X.
Under international wrestling rules, Phogat was not just disqualified from the gold-medal bout but technically moved into last place in the 16-woman field. The situation prompted both widespread sympathy and furious outcry in India, with politicians publicly urging sports officials to challenge her disqualification.
United World Wrestling officials have told Indian news outlets that, essentially, there is nothing that can be done. Though several of those same outlets reported that Phogat had filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, asking a panel of arbitrators to award her a silver medal. A spokesperson for CAS did not immediately reply to an email seeking more information, but such an appeal appears unlikely to be successful.
Contributing: Reuters
Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on social media @Tom_Schad .
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