Phogat was set to take on Sarah Hildebrandt of the United States for the gold medal in the women’s 50kg category at the Paris Olympics on Thursday but the bout was called off and Phogat disqualified on Wednesday morning after she was found to be overweight for the final.

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) consequently submitted an appeal with the global governing body United World Wrestling on Wednesday in the hope that Vinesh Phogat's failure to make weight for the women's 50kg final is reconsidered.

"Despite the best efforts by the team through the night, she weighed in a few grams over 50kg this morning," said the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) in a statement.

IOA President of the IOA, P.T. Usha, said that the athlete was shocked and that the team is providing her with "all medical and emotional support".

Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi took to X to show his support for the 29-year-old who was a favourite to win gold at on third Olympic appearance. 

“Vinesh, you are a champion among champions! You are India's pride and an inspiration for each and every Indian. Today's setback hurts. I wish words could express the sense of despair that I am experiencing," he wrote. "At the same time, I know that you epitomise resilience. It has always been your nature to take challenges head-on. Come back stronger! We are all rooting for you." 

Phogat is the first Indian woman wrestler to qualify for three successive Olympics but an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear at the 2016 Rio Olympics nearly ended her career. 

She was then in the public eye recently as part of a long-running protest against former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharanon Singh who was charged with sexual harassment of female athletes in 2023. 

She helped organise a weeks-long sit-in protest in New Delhi in 2023 and was pictured leading the demonstration, clashing with police and enduring harsh conditions for the protest's 40-day duration.