Vinesh Phogat’s heartbreaking disqualification at the Tokyo Olympics resonated deeply with Japanese wrestler Rei Higuchi, who had faced a similar fate at the Asian Olympic qualifiers. Higuchi, who went on to win gold in the men’s freestyle 57kg at the Paris Olympics 2024, extended his support to Phogat, urging her to stay strong and ignore the negativity surrounding her.
Phogat, a 29-year-old Indian wrestler, was disqualified hours before her gold medal bout in the women’s 50kg category for being 100 grams over the permissible weight limit. The incident left a profound impact on Phogat, who announced her retirement the following morning.
Higuchi, who had also missed the Tokyo Olympics after failing to make weight at the Asian Olympic qualifiers, understood Phogat’s pain and frustration. He posted a message on social media, encouraging her to stay positive and not let the setback define her.
“I posted it without knowing whether anyone would be interested,” Higuchi said. “I thought I could best understand how the Indian athlete felt because I made the same mistake. I gave it my all and experienced the same frustration and despair. I posted this in the hope that Vinesh doesn’t care what people around her say. I just wanted her to take it slow and go forward from there.”
While Higuchi sympathizes with Phogat’s situation, he believes that the United World Wrestling rules clearly state that wrestlers who fail to make weight are disqualified and given the last spot. “Unfortunately, the current rules won’t allow me to support that decision,” he said when asked whether Phogat should receive the silver medal.
However, Higuchi expressed his disapproval of the two-day weigh-in process in wrestling events. “I don’t like the rules where you have to make weight for the second day, but we play sports by the rules. And the rules are the same for everyone,” he added.
As the world awaits the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) verdict on Phogat’s matter, Higuchi remains hopeful that she will find the strength to overcome this setback and continue her wrestling career.
