In a big jolt for India, Vinesh Phogat, their biggest hope for a gold medal wrestler, was disqualified before the women's 50kg freestyle final at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday after failing to make weight.
Vinesh had scripted history by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the final at the Olympics.
Vinesh was scheduled to wrestle Sarah Hildebrandt of the United States in the gold medal bout on Wednesday night. But following the disqualification, the Indian will not receive a medal.
'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 statement.
'Despite the best efforts by the team through the night, she weighed in a few grams over 50kg this morning.'
It was reported that Vinesh was overweight by around 2 kgs on Tuesday night. A worried Vinesh then spent the entire night exercising including skipping, cycling and jogging to get her weight under 50kgs.
But when she reported for the weigh-in on Wednesday morning, she was overweight by 100 grams.
'She was found overweight by 100gm this morning. The rules do not allow this and she has been disqualified,' an Indian coach was quoted as saying by PTI.
Having only 15 minutes to complete the weigh-in, Vinesh was unable to further reduce her weight and was disqualified.
As per Article 11 of Chapter 3 - Competition Procedure of United World Wrestling's ruling on weigh-ins: The weigh-ins for wrestlers take place in the morning on the day of their competition.
Each weight class tournament spans two days, requiring wrestlers who advance to the finals or repechage to make weight on both days.
During the first weigh-in on the first day, the wrestlers have 30 minutes to meet their weight requirements. They can step on the scale as many times as needed within this period.
Contestants are weighed wearing only their singlets. Additionally, athletes are examined to ensure they show no signs of contagious diseases and that their fingernails are trimmed very short.
For wrestlers competing on the second day in the finals, the weigh-in duration lasts 15 minutes.
'No wrestler may be accepted at the weigh-in if s/he has not undergone a medical examination the first morning. Wrestlers must appear at the medical examination and the weigh-in with their license and accreditation.'
'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 s/he presents himself on the mat in incorrect dress. Referees will refuse to weigh a wrestler who is not dressed correctly,' the UWW ruling states.
'The referees responsible for the weigh-in will received the results of the draw and will be allowed to control only the athletes who are on this list.'
'If an athlete does not attend or fail the weigh-in (the 1st or the 2nd weigh-in), s/he will be eliminated of the competition and ranked last, without rank (Exception: cf. Article 55 – Medical Service Intervention).'
