Wrestler Vinesh Phogat is still in contention for the Paris Olympics - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 14, 2024
A social media post asserts that Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat lost the opportunity to represent India at the Olympics after she was defeated by the young wrestler Anju in the national trials. This article aims to fact-check the claim presented in the post.
Claim: Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat lost the opportunity to represent India at the Olympics after being defeated in the national trials.
Fact: Despite Vinesh Phogat’s loss to Anju in the 53kg category, she emerged victorious against Shivani with a score of 11-6 in the 50kg category. Therefore, her prospects for the Paris Olympics remain intact. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
While it’s true that Vinesh Phogat was defeated by the young wrestler Anju in the national trials, she hasn’t been eliminated from the Olympics contention. Despite her loss in the 53kg category, she emerged victorious in the 50kg category, which maintains her chances of competing in the Olympics.
As per news reports (here & here), Vinesh Phogat secured her place in the Paris Olympics qualifiers by defeating Shivani with a score of 11-6, in the 50kg category. She is now set to represent Team India in the Asian Olympic Qualifiers scheduled to take place in Kyrgyzstan next month. Additionally, according to reports, there was initial controversy surrounding Vinesh Phogat’s participation in both the 50kg and 53kg categories. However, after several rounds of deliberation, she was granted permission to compete in both. As previously mentioned, she faced a 0-10 defeat against Anju in the 53kg category, while she defeated Shivani Pawar 11-6 in the 50kg weight category.
Amidst the controversy surrounding her participation in multiple weight categories and undergoing a doping test, Vinesh Phogat addressed the issue on Twitter, clarifying that she felt compelled to secure her path to the Olympic Games by competing in both categories, as per the ad-hoc committee and WFI. This suggests that her victory in the 50kg category ensures her inclusion in the Olympic race.
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Moreover, in her post-match interview, she can be heard expressing her joy at her victory in the qualifiers. Thus, all these factors indicate that her path to the Olympics is still ongoing.
To sum it up, wrestler Vinesh Phogat is still in contention for the Paris Olympics.