Vinesh Phogat Announces Retirement from Wrestling
Vinesh Phogat became the first Indian woman to reach the final of an Olympic wrestling event.
Vinesh Poghat waves Indian flag after wining her bout.
Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat announced her retirement from wrestling a day after her heartbreaking disqualification from the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The announcement came early on Thursday, following her disqualification from the 50 kg freestyle final for exceeding the weight limit by 100 grams.
In a deeply emotional farewell message on X (formerly Twitter), Phogat shared her sense of defeat and sorrow, writing, “Wrestling won against me, I lost... my courage is shattered, I have no more strength left. Goodbye Wrestling 2001-2024.”
The 29-year-old athlete also reflected on her journey, stating, “Maa kushti jeet gayi, main haar gayi” (Wrestling has defeated me, I have lost). She apologised to her fans and expressed her gratitude for their unwavering support.
Phogat’s retirement marks the end of a distinguished career that began in 2001.
Her participation in the Paris Olympics had been historic, as she became the first Indian woman to reach the final of an Olympic wrestling event.
She earned her place in the finals with a 5-0 victory over Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez.
In a bid to overturn the disqualification, Phogat appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Wednesday, requesting a joint silver medal. The CAS had until Thursday to deliver its final verdict.
If the ruling comes in Phogat’s favour, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) would be required to award her the joint silver medal, acknowledging her remarkable achievement despite the setback.
