Phogat, who was on the brink of making history, had defeated defending champion and world number one Yui Susaki of Japan in her opening match, becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach an Olympic final. However, her Olympic dream was dashed when she was disqualified for being 100 grams over the weight limit during the weigh-in for the gold-medal bout.

The 29-year-old from Haryana had filed an appeal against the United World Wrestling (UWW) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), seeking a joint silver medal. Despite her hopes, the Sole Arbitrator at CAS rejected her plea on August 14, ending her pursuit of a fair resolution.

In her social media statement, Phogat reflected on the cruel turn of events between the night of August 6 and the morning of August 7. She revealed the intense efforts she and her team made to rectify the situation, including staying awake throughout the night to lose the extra weight. Despite jogging, skipping, and even drastic measures such as cutting her hair and drawing blood, Phogat was unable to shed the additional 2.7 kilograms she had gained after three bouts on August 6.

“There is so much more to say and so much more to tell but words will never be enough and maybe I will speak again when the time feels right. On the night of 6th August and the morning of 7th August, all I want to say is that we did not give up, our efforts did not stop, and we did not surrender but the clock stopped and the time was not fair,” Phogat wrote in her post.

Phogat’s disqualification has left her devastated, as her tireless efforts to meet the weight requirements ultimately fell short by a mere 100 grams, robbing her of a potential Olympic medal. Her heartfelt message highlights the relentless determination of athletes and the often harsh realities they face in their quest for glory.