Weeks after Vinesh got eliminated from Olympics, sports expert Sanjay Sharma asserted “I am deeply saddened by Vinesh Phogat’s situation. Being a Football player myself, I find her disqualification particularly troubling; especially given how close she was to winning a medal and making her mark in the annals of global sports. This situation demands serious reflection from athletes worldwide and the International Olympic Association.

Vinesh Phogat, a 29-year-old Indian wrestler, began her career in the 51 kg category and achieved considerable success in various tournaments, though she fell short at the Olympics. She has excelled in the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and Asian Championships. Since 2019, she has competed in the 53 kg category, earning several medals.

For the 2024 Olympics, she first tried to qualify in her original weight class but was defeated by younger competitors, leading her to switch to the 50 kg category.

An experienced wrestler like Vinesh, with a strong background in the 53 kg category, naturally had an advantage over those who moved to the 50 kg category. This situation seems unfair to athletes who are advancing in weight classes.

In sports such as football, age-based categories (U-14, U-17, U-19, and seniors) ensure that a 16-year-old excelling at the senior level cannot compete in U-17.

Weight categories in wrestling should adopt similar rules to prevent athletes from moving down to lighter classes after competing in heavier ones.

Yui Susaki, the Tokyo Olympic gold medallist defeated by Vinesh, began in the 48 kg category and later moved up to 50 kg. The current rules have undermined her spirit and allowed Vinesh to exploit the system. Vinesh’s shift to a lighter weight class not only impacted many Indian wrestlers but also compromised the integrity of the competition. We must empathize with genuine wrestlers like Susaki, whose dreams were affected by Vinesh’s exploiting the loophole in the system.

The Olympics are the pinnacle of sports. Imagine training for four years in one weight category, only to be displaced by a heavier athlete exploiting the rules.

Vinesh’s actions have not only disappointed the nation but also shattered the dreams of 1.4 billion Indians.

We need to focus on the character building of athletes and address issues when they exploit rule loopholes. It’s time for introspection—an athlete's legacy is defined not just by their expertise but also by their character.”

Court of Arbitration of Sports (CAS) rejects Vinesh’s petition against disqualification from the Olympics. Phogat was eliminated from the Paris before the final game when she weighed 100 grams more than her category. Generally, she player under 53 kgs but for Olympics she chose to compete in the 50kgs category. It was 7^th August when Vinesh filed petition against Olympics’ decision of disqualification.