Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat.
Credit: PTI Photo
Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat on Wednesday, announced retirement after her heartbreaking disqualification from the Olympics, saying she doesn't have the strength to continue.
The 29-year-old, who was disqualified for being 100 gm overweight ahead of her 50 kg category gold medal bout, posted on X to announce her decision.
She wrote, "माँ कुश्ती मेरे से जीत गई मैं हार गई माफ़ करना आपका सपना मेरी हिम्मत सब टूट चुके इससे ज़्यादा ताक़त नहीं रही अब। (Ma, wrestling has won, I have lost. Please forgive me, your dreams and my courage, everything is broken.)"
"अलविदा कुश्ती 2001-2024 आप सबकी हमेशा ऋणी रहूँगी माफी (I don't have any more strength now. Goodbye wrestling 2001-2024. I shall be indebted to you all. Forgive me)."
The female wrestler's disqualification led to Jordan Burroughs who is a former Olympic gold medal-winning wrestler, proposing changes for United World Wrestling (UWW).
Burroughs is a wrestler who had won the 2012 Olympic gold medal and is a six-time world champion.
The 36-year-old freestyle wrestler who expressed his disappointment over Phogat being deprived of a medal and suggested some UWW rules to be changed.
Taking to X he wrote, "Proposed Immediate Rule Changes for UWW: 1.) 1kg second Day Weight Allowance. 2.) Weigh-ins pushed from 8:30am to 10:30am. 3.) Forfeit will occur in future finals if opposing finalist misses weight. 4.) After a semifinal 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. 5.) Give Vinesh the Silver medal."
His first suggestion was weight allowance of 1 kg for wrestlers who perform at events for consecutive days.
His second suggestion was to check the weigh-ins for participants between 8.30 am and 10.30 am which would help out the competing wrestlers to lose out the excess weight on a prior basis.
Burroughs proposed a fourth and final change saying that both finalists after a semi-final victory should be guaranteed a medal without considering the fact that whether both the competitors make their weight or not.
He shared another post on X saying, "GIVE VINESH SILVER!"
Former Indian wrestler Sakshee Malikkh also appealed that giving Phogat a silver medal would be the right decision.
She wrote, "This would be the right decision if they accept it. I too appeal @Phogat_Vinesh."