Vinesh Phogat disqualified: Here is what UWW rulebook says on 'weight tolerance'

Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat was on Wednesday (August 7) disqualified from competing in the Paris Olympics 2024 final because of being 100 grams overweight.

Vinesh had reached the 50 kg women’s final and was to compete in the gold medal match in Paris on Wednesday evening. She was set to face USA’s Sarah Hilderbrandt.

In a statement, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) said it has accepted the verdict by the organisers and asked everyone to respect Vinesh’s privacy.

“It is with regret that the Indian contingent shares news of the disqualification of Vinesh Phogat from the Women’s Wrestling 50kg class. Despite the best efforts by the team through the night, she weighed in a few grams over 50kg this morning. No further comments will be made by the contingent at this time. The Indian team requests you respect Vinesh’s privacy. It would like to focus on the competitions on hand,” IOA said.

Here are what the rules of the United World Wrestling (UWW) which is the world governing body, say about being overweight during a competition.

Under Chapter 3 of ‘Competition Procedure,’ there is Article 11 about ‘Weigh-In’.

The full UWW rule can be seen below.

“CHAPTER 3 – COMPETITION PROCEDURE

Article 11– Weigh-In

For all competitions, the weigh-in is organized each morning of the concerned weight-category. The weigh-in and the medical control lasts 30 minutes.

The second morning of the concerned weight category only the wrestlers who participate in the repechages and finals have to come for the weigh-in. This weigh-in will last 15 minutes.

No wrestler may be accepted at the weigh-in if he has not undergone a medical examination the first morning. Wrestlers must appear at the medical examination and the weigh-in with their license and accreditation.

The only uniform allowed for the weigh-in is the singlet. After having been examined by qualified physicians who are obliged to eliminate any wrestler who presents any danger of contagious disease, the wrestler can be weighed-in. No weight tolerance will be allowed for the singlet.

Contestants must be in perfect physical condition, with their fingernails cut very short. Throughout the entire weigh-in period, wrestlers have the right, each in turn, to get on the scale as many times as they wish.

The referees responsible for the weigh-in must check that all wrestlers are of the weight corresponding to the category in which they are entered for the competition, that they fulfil all the requirements of Article 5 and to inform any wrestler of the risk he runs if he presents himself on the mat in incorrect dress. Referees will refuse to weigh a wrestler who is not dressed correctly.

The referees responsible for the weigh-in will received the results of the draw and will be allowed to control only the athletes who are on this list.

If an athlete does not attend or fail the weigh-in (the 1st or the 2nd weigh-in), he will be eliminated of the competition and ranked last, without rank.

If one (or more) athlete qualified for the repechages and/or finals doesn’t attend or fails the weigh-in, the athlete(s) (who successfully passed the second weigh-in) will move to the next round in his(their) part of the bracket.

If all athletes don’t attend or fail the second weigh-in, the ranking will be made according the individual ranking criteria.”

Full wrestling rules from UWW can be seen below.