Editor's Pick | An extra 100 gm crushes Vinesh’s Olympic dreams

On the cusp of glory, wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s campaign in her third Olympics ended as the wrestler, who stunned Japan’s World and Olympic champion Yui Susaki on her way to the women’s 50-kg final, was disqualified after weighing 100 grams more than the permissible limit in the morning weigh-in ahead of the final, on Wednesday. A two-time World Wrestling Championships bronze medallist in 53kg and a prominent face of the wrestlers’ protest against alleged sexual harassment by former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, Vinesh, who maintains a body weight of around 57kg, had dropped down to 50kg for the Olympics. The 29-year-old managed to cut down her weight to the limit on day one of the competition but struggled to do so prior to her final against the U.S.’s Sarah Ann Hildebrandt. “Last night her weight was up by 1 kg. We and her personal support staff worked to cut it down. In the morning, she went to the sauna and gym. Unfortunately, her weight was slightly above the limit,” chief coach of the Indian women’s team Virender Dahiya said. She even had a haircut to reduce weight. Chef-de-mission Gagan Narang, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) chief P.T. Usha and the head of India’s medical commission, Dinshaw Pardiwala, were present to help Vinesh. The WFI and the IOA approached the United World Wrestling, the world governing body for the sport, but could not get any exemption. According to UWW’s Article 11 on weigh-in, “For all competitions, the weigh-in is organised each morning of the concerned weight-category... If an athlete does not attend or fails the weigh-in (the first or the second weigh-in), he will be eliminated of the competition and ranked last, without rank.” UWW president Nenad Lalovic underlined the rules. “We have to respect the rules. I am so sad about what happened to her. She was overweight, even by a small margin. But rules are rules,” Mr. Lalovic told reporters. Another athlete, Italian Emanuela Liuzzi, had to forfeit her bout after being overweight in the same weight category on Tuesday. As a result of Vinesh’s elimination, Cuban Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, who had lost to the Indian in the semifinals, became eligible to compete in the final. It is learnt that Vinesh, who had some weakness due to the drastic weight cut and was treated at the polyclinic inside the Games Village, is fine. Even as the country, fighting to match its previous edition’s tally of seven medals, was deprived of a medal, Vinesh would be proud of her effort. She punched above her weight to take down Yui in spectacular fashion before getting past Ukraine’s Oksana Livach and Yusnelis to become the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the Olympics final before her disqualification. On Thursday, Vinesh announced her retirement from wrestling. In an emotional post on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), she wrote, “Mom, wrestling has defeated me, I lost. Forgive me, your dream, my courage is all broken, I don’t have any more strength now.” Vinesh had appealed against the disqualification in the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), demanding that she be awarded a joint silver medal after being forced out for being 100gm overweight in the morning weigh-in. Vinesh is the first athlete to be disqualified from a final for not making weight. She, however, has struggled with weight cuts earlier and barely made the cut during the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in April this year. Vinesh had wrestled at her first Olympics in the 48kg category. She was 22 then. As she grew older, it became harder to maintain that weight. She then moved up to the 50kg category and then the 53kg category at the time of the Tokyo Olympics. Even at 53kg, she was losing a lot of weight to compete. The weight loss resulted in poor recovery and frequent injuries. Her injury also coincided with the rise of another Indian wrestler Antim Panghal. Vinesh had no option but to drop down to the 50kg category — the lightest in women’s wrestling. “It is with regret that the Indian contingent shares news of the disqualification of Vinesh Phogat from the women’s wrestling 50kg class,” the Indian Olympic Association said in a release. Amid disbelief, there is a clamour for a change in the rules. Commonwealth gold medallist Geeta Phogat, coming out in her support of her cousin, quoted the message of Olympic gold medallist and American freestyle wrestler Jordan Burroughs who demanded immediate changes in the United World Wrestling rules and sought the silver medal for Vinesh. “After a semi-final victory, both finalists’ medals are secured even if weight is missed on Day 2. Gold can only be won by a wrestler who makes weight on the second day,” read one of the four amendments suggested by Burroughs. The Hindu’s Editorials ​Under overlords: On Centre-Delhi government relations A case of excesses: On the Puja Khedkar case The Hindu’s Daily Quiz According to the panel led by former ISRO chief, K. Kasturirangan, what percentage of the Western Ghats were to be declared ecologically sensitive? 53% 37% 12% 82% To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 08 August 2024 [The Hindu logo] [EP Logo] Editor's Pick 08 August 2024 In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [View in browser]( [More newsletters]( An extra 100 gm crushes Vinesh’s Olympic dreams On the cusp of glory, wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s campaign in her third Olympics ended as the wrestler, who stunned Japan’s World and Olympic champion Yui Susaki on her way to the women’s 50-kg final, [was disqualified after weighing 100 grams more than the permissible limit]( in the morning weigh-in ahead of the final, on Wednesday. A two-time World Wrestling Championships bronze medallist in 53kg and a prominent face of the wrestlers’ protest against alleged sexual harassment by former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, Vinesh, who maintains a body weight of around 57kg, had dropped down to 50kg for the Olympics. The 29-year-old managed to cut down her weight to the limit on day one of the competition but struggled to do so prior to her final against the U.S.’s Sarah Ann Hildebrandt. “Last night her weight was up by 1 kg. We and her personal support staff worked to cut it down. In the morning, she went to the sauna and gym. Unfortunately, her weight was slightly above the limit,” chief coach of the Indian women’s team Virender Dahiya said. She even had a haircut to reduce weight. Chef-de-mission Gagan Narang, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) chief P.T. Usha and the head of India’s medical commission, Dinshaw Pardiwala, were present to help Vinesh. The WFI and the IOA approached the United World Wrestling, the world governing body for the sport, but could not get any exemption. According to UWW’s Article 11 on weigh-in, “For all competitions, the weigh-in is organised each morning of the concerned weight-category... If an athlete does not attend or fails the weigh-in (the first or the second weigh-in), he will be eliminated of the competition and ranked last, without rank.” UWW president Nenad Lalovic underlined the rules. “We have to respect the rules. I am so sad about what happened to her. She was overweight, even by a small margin. But rules are rules,” Mr. Lalovic told reporters. Another athlete, Italian Emanuela Liuzzi, had to forfeit her bout after being overweight in the same weight category on Tuesday. As a result of Vinesh’s elimination, Cuban Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, who had lost to the Indian in the semifinals, became eligible to compete in the final. It is learnt that Vinesh, who had some weakness due to the drastic weight cut and was treated at the polyclinic inside the Games Village, is fine. Even as the country, fighting to match its previous edition’s tally of seven medals, was deprived of a medal, Vinesh would be proud of her effort. She punched above her weight to take down Yui in spectacular fashion before getting past Ukraine’s Oksana Livach and Yusnelis to become the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the Olympics final before her disqualification. On Thursday, [Vinesh announced her retirement from wrestling.]( In an emotional post on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), she wrote, “Mom, wrestling has defeated me, I lost. Forgive me, your dream, my courage is all broken, I don’t have any more strength now.” [Vinesh had appealed against the disqualification]( in the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), demanding that she be awarded a joint silver medal after being forced out for being 100gm overweight in the morning weigh-in. Vinesh is the first athlete to be disqualified from a final for not making weight. She, however, has [struggled with weight cuts earlier]( and barely made the cut during the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in April this year. Vinesh had wrestled at her first Olympics in the 48kg category. She was 22 then. As she grew older, it became harder to maintain that weight. She then moved up to the 50kg category and then the 53kg category at the time of the Tokyo Olympics. Even at 53kg, she was losing a lot of weight to compete. The weight loss resulted in poor recovery and frequent injuries. Her injury also coincided with the rise of another Indian wrestler Antim Panghal. Vinesh had no option but to drop down to the 50kg category — the lightest in women’s wrestling. “It is with regret that the Indian contingent shares news of the disqualification of Vinesh Phogat from the women’s wrestling 50kg class,” the Indian Olympic Association said in a release. Amid disbelief, there is a clamour for a change in the rules. Commonwealth gold medallist Geeta Phogat, coming out in her support of her cousin, quoted the message of Olympic gold medallist and American freestyle wrestler Jordan Burroughs who [demanded immediate changes in the United World Wrestling rules]( and sought the silver medal for Vinesh. “After a semi-final victory, both finalists’ medals are secured even if weight is missed on Day 2. Gold can only be won by a wrestler who makes weight on the second day,” read one of the four amendments suggested by Burroughs. The Hindu’s Editorials [Arrow][​Under overlords: On Centre-Delhi government relations]( [Arrow][A case of excesses: On the Puja Khedkar case]( The Hindu’s Daily Quiz According to the panel led by former ISRO chief, K. Kasturirangan, what percentage of the Western Ghats were to be declared ecologically sensitive? - 53% - 37% - 12% - 82% To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here](. [Sign up for free]( Today’s Best Reads [[162 Adivasi villages in Odisha will be submerged by Polavaram, as BJD is paying a price for past support to BJP: BJD MP] 162 Adivasi villages in Odisha will be submerged by Polavaram, as BJD is paying a price for past support to BJP: BJD MP]( [[Mallikarjun Kharge accuses government of trying to communalise the NCERT curriculum, government refutes charge] Mallikarjun Kharge accuses government of trying to communalise the NCERT curriculum, government refutes charge]( [[Waqf amendment Bill introduces District Collector as an arbiter to decide whether a property is a Waqf or government land] Waqf amendment Bill introduces District Collector as an arbiter to decide whether a property is a Waqf or government land]( [[Watch: Keen on winning at gambling? Don’t trade in futures and options | Business Matters] Watch: Keen on winning at gambling? Don’t trade in futures and options | Business Matters]( Copyright© 2024, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. If you are facing any trouble in viewing this newsletter, please [try here]( Manage your newsletter subscription preferences [here]( If you do not wish to receive such emails [go here](