After heartbreak at the Paris Olympics, dejected Vinesh Phogat announces retirement.
Following her heartbreaking exit from the Paris Olympics, Indian wrestler VineshPhogat has announced her retirement. The veteran wrestler was disqualified from her gold medal match in the last moment after being 100 kg overweight, as per the Indian Olympic Association. Phogat’s decision to retire comes even as India has appealed against the disqualification and the verdict is awaited.
Taking to social media platform X, Phogat said that she had no strength left any more to continue and that she will be bringing down the curtains on her career that spanned from 2001 to 2024. She thanked her fans and supporters, adding that she will be indebted to them forever while also seeking forgiveness from them.
Phogat wrote, “My mother, wrestling, won the match against me; I lost. Forgive me, your dream; my courage is all broken; I don’t have any more strength now. Goodbye wrestling 2001-2024. I will always be indebted to you all for forgiveness.”
Vinesh had made it to the final of the women’s 50 kg bout after much difficulty. She beat the Tokyo 2020 gold medalist in the first bout 3-2; that only paved the way for her to go further in the competition.
According to the rules by UWW, a player failing to get their weight under check won’t win a medal. So that could well mean that despite being assured of a silver, VineshPhogat will not take a medal back home from the Paris Olympics.