Vinesh Phogat Announces Retirement After Olympics Disqualification, Says ‘Goodbye Wrestling’

Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat on Thursday announced her retirement after being disqualified from the Olympics, sharing an emotional message on X. She expressed her heartbreak, saying, “Maa kushti jeet gayi, main haar gayi” (Wrestling has defeated me, I have lost). Phogat was disqualified from the 50 Kg freestyle final at the Paris Olympics 2024 on Wednesday. The 29-year-old wrestler weighed a bit over the permissible limit during the weigh-in on the day of the final and was handed a disqualified result.

Vinesh apologised to her fans, saying her courage has crumbled, and she can no longer continue. Her farewell marked the end of an illustrious career spanning from 2001 to 2024. Vinesh also expressed her gratitude, saying she’ll forever be indebted to her supporters. “Alvida, kushti,” she concluded, ending an era in Indian wrestling.

Meanwhile, Phogat has filed an appeal against her Olympic disqualification with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). She has requested that she be awarded the silver medal. CAS has acknowledged the appeal and is expected to deliver its final verdict by Thursday at 11:30 AM IST. The CAS is an international body set up in Switzerland to resolve disputes that might arise in the world of sports.

Phogat scripted history on Tuesday as she became the first Indian woman to reach the final of a wrestling event at the Olympics. Her dominant 5-0 win over Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez secured her spot in the final.

However, as fate would have it, Phogat failed to make weight on Wednesday, the second day of the event, during the weigh-in and was disqualified for missing the mark by a mere 100 grams.

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