Vinesh Phogat's disqualification came as a shocker for the Indian contingent at the Paris Olympics as well as the 1.4 billion people of the country, who woke up on Wednesday (August 7) morning with a hope of a Gold medal from the wrestler in the women's 50kg category. Vinesh performed outstandingly well to beat Yui Susaki, the Japanese champion and then the wrestlers from Ukraine and Cuba in the quarter-final and semi-final to qualify for the final.
However, on the second weigh-in on the day of the Gold medal bout, Vinesh was found 100gms over the allowed category. As per reports, from jogging to cycling to sauna, everything was tried on Vinesh's part to shed those extra 2kgs before the official weigh-in on Wednesday. As per Article 11 of UWW (United World Wrestling) rules, if an athlete doesn't meet the weight criteria, he/she stands disqualified which means that they will finish last and hence Vinesh will return empty-handed.
Article 11, UWW
"The referees responsible for the weigh-in must check that all wrestlers are of the weight corresponding to the category in which they are entered for the competition, that they fulfil all the requirements of Article 5 and to inform any wrestler of the risk he runs if he presents himself on the mat in incorrect dress. Referees will refuse to weigh a wrestler who is not dressed correctly.
"If an athlete does not attend or fail the weigh-in (the 1st or the 2nd weigh-in), he will be eliminated of the competition and ranked last, without rank. If an athlete is injured during the first day, he doesn't have to attend the second weigh-in and will keep his results."
The weight tolerance wasn't applicable for the second weigh-in. There is a weight tolerance of 2kg allowed for the World Cup and other international tournaments.
As per Article 8, UWW rules
"The medical control and a first weigh-in will be held the morning of the concerned weight category. The qualified athletes for the finals and repechages will be weigh-in again the second morning of the concerned weight category. No more weight tolerance will be allowed for the second weigh-in. 2kg weight tolerance is allowed for World Cup and for the International Tournaments (Except UWW Ranking Events)."
There was another argument about whether Vinesh and her team could have withdrawn due to injury so that the match could have been forfeited and she would have at least been eligible for a silver medal since she had qualified for the final. However, Article 56 clearly states that if the athlete withdraws due to injury after the bout is completed, he/she will have to appear in the second weigh-in otherwise there will be an elimination.
The only way the athlete could have avoided a second weigh-in would have been in case of getting injured midway through the bout. And for the said wrestler to compete in the next bout, he/she would have to take a prior approval of a UWW doctor or a certified medical professional for the tournament.
As per Article 56, UWW rules
"For all the other type of injuries or diseases that happen after the first day of competition and out of competition, the concerned athlete will have to attend the second weigh-in otherwise he will be eliminated of the competition and ranked last, without rank."
Apart from appealing the decision and asking for possibly some more time, there was nothing Vinesh or IOA could have done.
