Digangana Suryavansh reacts to Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification; says, “You’re already a winner to us”

Bollywood actress Digangana Suryavanshi has voiced her support for Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat, following her disqualification from the Paris 2024 Olympics women's wrestling competition. On Wednesday morning, Phogat faced a crushing disappointment when she was disqualified from the 50kg final against Sarah Hildebrandt due to not meeting the weight requirement. Missing the weight by a few grams meant she would leave the Games without a medal, despite her impressive performance.

Reacting to the news, Digangana posted on her social media, "Disqualification feels personal and terrible. But people know that you’re super strong and you’re already a winner for us! Kudos to you!”

Phogat had showcased outstanding skill and determination at the Paris Olympics, making her way to the final by defeating top competitors such as Japan's Yui Susaki, former European champion Oksana Livach, and Pan American Games champion Yusneylis Guzman. Her journey, however, was cut short by the strict weight regulations, which required her to maintain her weight twice. Although she initially met the weight requirement, she could not maintain it after replenishing post-matches.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) expressed their sorrow over her disqualification, highlighting the slim margin by which she missed the weight. In a statement, the IOA said, “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.”

Phogat's effort and resilience throughout the competition have been widely praised, and she remains a hero to many, including Digangana Suryavanshi, who acknowledged her strength and spirit.