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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Ewan Murray in Paris

India in despair as Olympic wrestler disqualified from final despite cutting hair off

Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat  had reduced Japanese journalists to tears by defeating the top seed Yui Susaki in the opening round.
Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat had reduced Japanese journalists to tears by defeating the top seed Yui Susaki in the opening round. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images

India’s Olympic contingent are devastated after one of their marquee athletes, the female wrestler Vinesh Phogat, was disqualified hours before her gold medal match for exceeding the 50kg restriction by the weight of a medium-sized banana (100 grams) despite even cutting off her hair in an attempt to fight for gold.

The prime minister of India, Narendra Modi, took to social media to express his “despair” over the highly unusual situation involving the athlete nicknamed the Lioness of India.

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