Vinesh Phogat competed for both 50 kg and 53 kg category.
Yesterday, on August 7th Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the Paris Olympics. She was disqualified because she weighed 100 grams over the 50 kg limit. India’s opposition parties seized the opportunity to blame the government for Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification. Social media was flooded with conspiracy theories and blame posts. This morning, another story is circulating, claiming that Vinesh Phogat wanted to compete in the 53 kg category but was forced by the Wrestling Federation of India to compete in the 50 kg category, which ultimately made it impossible for her to maintain the required weight.
Congress leader Pawan Khera claimed on X, ‘‘For reasons beyond her control, Vinesh had to wrestle in the women’s 50kg category at the Paris Olympics. She wanted to compete in the still manageable 53kg category but a younger rival – Antim Panghal – had claimed that spot. Vinesh desperately asked for trials to determine who would represent India at the Olympics for that weight. The federation didn’t budge. If she had to go to the Olympics, Vinesh had to wrestle at 50kg or she wouldn’t get to wrestle at all.’
Congress leader Supriya Shrinate alleged, ‘So, ultimately the conspiracy of the Wrestling Federation shattered not only the talent and courage of Vinesh Phogat but also the dreams of India According to this report- “She wanted to compete in the 53kg category but a younger competitor – Antim Panghal – was given a chance in that category. Vinesh repeatedly requested for trials to decide who would represent India at the Olympics in the 53kg category. The Wrestling Federation did not agree. If Vinesh has to go to the Olympics, she will have to wrestle in the 50kg category or she will not get a chance to wrestle.’
Surendra Rajput INC wrote, “Is the conspiracy unfolding? Vinesh wanted to fight in the 53 kg category but the Wrestling Association made her fight in the 50 kg category! On whose orders did this happen?”
Sayema asserted, ‘So, it IS the Wrestling Federation, after all! Sorry @Phogat_Vinesh , we truly don’t deserve you. “She wanted to compete in the still manageable 53kg category but a younger rival – Antim Panghal – had claimed that spot. Vinesh desperately asked for trials to determine who would represent India at the Olympics for that weight. The federation didn’t budge. If she had to go to the Olympics, Vinesh had to wrestle at 50kg or she wouldn’t get to wrestle at all.’
Propaganda Journalist Gargi Rawat wrote, ‘‘She had wanted to compete in the still manageable 53kg category but a younger rival – had claimed that spot. Vinesh desperately asked for trials..The federation didn’t budge.. Vinesh had to wrestle at 50kg or she wouldn’t get to wrestle at all.’
Congress leader Gaurav Pandhi claimed, ‘WHY was Vinesh Phogat NOT ALLOWED by the Indian Olympic Association to compete in her original 53 kg category? Who forced her into the 50 kg category, making her suffer without FOOD & WATER, lose BLOOD, and even cut her HAIR? Was this BJP’s REVENGE for her brave stand against their power and protest against sexual harassment? If we had an independent institution to investigate, the TRUTH would have come out big time.’
Congress supporter GeetV alleged, ‘Vinesh was forced wrestle in the women’s 50kg category at the Paris Olympics. She wanted to compete in her preferred 53kg category. Of course, the Indian Wrestling Foundation denied her the 53 kg category. These are our pseudo-nationalists, who sabotage India’s victory.’
Raghavendra Dubey wrote, “At a time when the country is saddened by Vinesh being disqualified, the Wrestling Association of India forcibly stopped her from fighting in the 53 kg category, robbed her of her rights and deliberately forced her to fight in the 50 kg category for which she got blood drawn, cut her hair, ate less food. But you are not ashamed.”
X handle ‘Nehru_who‘ stated, ‘Absolutely shameful. And she was the one selected in place of Vinesh Phogat in the 53 kg weight category. Phogat repeatedly asked for a match to decide the spot but was denied. She was given only two options- Compete in 50 kg category or don’t. We all know what happened next.’
Handle Manoj Arora asserted, “This is how the system fails you in a structured manner. Vinesh wanted to compete in the 53 kg category but the federation didn’t budge. She was forced to compete in the 50 kg, if at all she wants to. She was pushed to the corner. And we all know why… The politics, the system, has not only failed Vinesh but also many others who would have taken inspiration from her and the first ever women Olympics gold in wrestling.”
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We started our fact-checking process by searching relevant media reports to determine why Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat did not contend in the 53kg category at the Paris Olympics. We found a report published by The Quint on 11 March 2024 stating that Vinesh Phogat suffered a one-sided 0-10 defeat against Anju in the semi-final of the 53 kg category in the trials conducted by the ad-hoc committee currently overseeing the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) to select the Indian squad for the Olympic Qualifiers on Monday, 11 March. Thus, Vinesh will represent India only in the 50kg category at the Asian Olympic Games qualifiers in Kyrgyzstan scheduled for April.
Further in the report, it is also stated that the start of the women’s wrestling selection trials for the 50 kg and 53 kg categories was initially delayed because Vinesh Phogat sought a written assurance for a final 53 kg trial before the Olympics and requested to compete in both categories. Vinesh competed in both categories after the ad-hoc committee allowed her to participate in both categories. According to Quint, the coach said ‘Probably she wants to secure her future. If she loses the 50kg trials today, she wants to ensure that she remains in the hunt for the 53kg. If she finishes in the top-4 today in the 53kg, she remains alive for Paris Games qualification.’
We also found a report from Dainik Bhaskar stating that Vinesh Phogat won the national women’s wrestling trials after three hours of commotion. She defeated Shivani Pawar 11-6 in the 50 kg weight category but lost the semi-final match in the 53 kg category to Anju 0-10. Earlier, Vinesh did not allow the matches in the 50 kg and 53 kg categories to start at the Sports Authority of India’s (SAI) Patiala Center for nearly three hours. The ad-hoc body formed by the IOA (Indian Olympic Association) had already stated that the last trial for the 53 kg category would be held, where the top four wrestlers of this weight category would compete. The winner of the trial would have to face Antim Panghal, and the wrestler who wins that match would represent India in the Paris Olympics.
This was the first time a wrestler was participating in two weight categories in an entire tournament simultaneously. According to the rules, a wrestler would fight in a second weight category only after losing in one.
We found a report from The Week published on April 2024, stating that Vinesh Phogat booked her place in the Paris Olympics in the women’s 50kg category on Saturday. She secured her spot by reaching the final at the Asian Olympic Qualifier. It is India’s second quota place for the Paris Games as Antim Panghal earned her spot in the final of the trails of the 53kg category by winning a bronze medal at the World Championships last year.
In our search we found an article published on the Olympics website according to the report, Antim Panghal will represent India in the 53kg category at the Paris 2024 Olympics after she won a bronze medal at the World Championships in September last year resulting in securing of her spot.
We also found a video of the trial wrestling semi-final match between Vinesh Phogat and Anju in the 53 kg category where Vinesh faced defeat.
In conclusion, Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat adamantly competed in both the 50kg and 53kg categories during her qualifier matches for the Paris Olympics 2024. Despite the wrestling federation’s rules that wrestlers had to compete in only one category on a single day, the rules were relaxed for Phogat. However, she lost in the 53kg category and won in the 50kg category.
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