It’s been less than 24 hours since 50kg wrestler Vinesh Phogat raised India’s hopes of earning its first gold medal at the Paris Olympics. However, the first Indian woman to reach the finals in an Olympic wrestling event will have to return home empty-handed. In a shocking turn of events, The Indian Olympic Association has announced that Phogat has been disqualified after failing to make weight ahead of the finals.

“It is with regret that the Indian contingent shares news of the disqualification of Vinesh Phogat from the Women’s Wrestling 50kg class. Despite the best efforts by the team through the night, she weighed in a few grams over 50kg this morning,” reads the official statement by the IOA. A Press Trust of India report shed further light on the unfortunate incident.

“She was found overweight by 100gm this morning. The rules do not allow this and she has been disqualified,” an Indian wrestling coach told the press. “No further comments will be made by the contingent at this time,” wrote the IOA’s official X handle. The Indian team requests you respect Vinesh’s privacy. It would like to focus on the competitions on hand,” the IOA added.

The disqualification means Vinesh Phogat won’t be able to wrestle Sarah Hildebrandt in the finals. In fact, she won’t even earn the previously confirmed silver medal, while Hildebrandt will walk away with gold. However, former favorites Yui Susaki will take on Oksana Livach will compete in the bronze medal bout. Phogat was the one who defeated both wrestlers to reach the final.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time the strict weight limit rules have derailed an Olympian’s dreams. USA’s 2016 Rio bronze medalist J’den Cox had to exit the U.S. Olympic trails for the same reason ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. The Wrestling Federation of India’s secretary, Sanjay Singh, told the press that Phogat, who usually wrestles in the 53 kg division, did everything to shed the last ounces of water weight.

“We tried everything; asking them for a little more time or asking if there was any other way. But they said they have to abide by the rules,” said the WFI secretary. The 2022 World Championships bronze medalist reportedly resorted to extreme measures. A report suggested she tried cutting her hair and even attempted to draw blood from her veins.

Sanjay Sigh also put the onus of the unfortunate incident on the gold medal prospect’s coach and support staff. “A probe should be done on how her weight increased… I urge the central government (of India) to take strict action against them,” the WFI representative told PTI. While the IOA has appealed the decision, the situation looks bleak. A truly anti-climatic end to Vinesh Phogat’s battle against adversity.

Vinesh Phogat beat incredible odds to make it to Paris

The Indian wrestler’s journey to the Paris Olympics was not an easy one. The 29-year-old wrestler suffered underwent three major surges in the last three years leading up to the Olympics. Phogat abruptly withdrew from the 2021 World Championship trials and underwent elbow surgery shortly afterward. However, she bounced back, winning bronze at the 2022 World Championships.

Yet things went south once again when she needed another elbow surgery in June last year. Disaster struck once again in August while the Olympian prepared to compete in the 2023 Asian Games. She suffered a complete ACL tear, which nearly jeopardized her Paris Olympic dreams. Yet despite the setbacks, the wrestler thrived on the Olympic stage until the ill-fated weigh-in.

The USA women’s wrestling team’s head coach Terry Steiner praised the 3x Commonwealth Games gold medalist as a “great champion,” after yesterday’s performance. Vinesh Phogat has also defeated Hildebrandt twice in the past. Unfortunately, they won’t meet on the wrestling mat for a third time.