Jordan Burroughs wants Vinesh Phogat to at least get a silver medal. (Image: AFP, AP)
An all-time American wrestling great, Jordan Burroughs has called for changes to UWW’s rules which has led to Vinesh Phogat being stripped from a medal.
The disqualification of Indian wrestler, Vinesh Phogat has certainly caused massive uproar in India and the rest of the world as she failed to make weight for her gold-medal match at the Paris Olympics 2024.
This has led to the former Olympic Gold medal-winning wrestler, Jordan Burroughs from the USA suggesting some changes for United World Wrestling (UWW).
GIVE VINESH SILVER! — Jordan Burroughs (@alliseeisgold) August 7, 2024
Burroughs is a six-time World Championship gold medalist along with a London 2012 gold medalist. He is also considered one of the greatest freestyle wrestlers of all time.
The 36-year-old was certainly not pleased to see Phogat being stripped of a possible medal after she was unable to make weight for the big finale. He has gone on to share on social media some of the rule changes he would want to see being made by the UWW.
Proposed Immediate Rule Changes for UWW:1.) 1kg second Day Weight Allowance.
2.) Weigh-ins pushed from 8:30am to 10:30am.
3.) Forfeit will occur in future finals if opposing finalist misses weight.
4.) After a semifinal victory, both finalists’ medals are secured even if…
— Jordan Burroughs (@alliseeisgold) August 7, 2024
Among his first changes would be a weight allowance of 1 kg for the wrestlers who would compete in events for consecutive days. This would have meant that Phogat would have been cleared to compete and those extra 100 grams would not have dealt a heartbreaking end to her campaign.
His second proposal was to postpone the time for weigh-ins from 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM. This would ensure that the wrestlers that were set to compete would have an additional two hours to hopefully cut out the excess weight and come in at the designated weight class.
His third change was that should a wrestler miss weight, a forfeit should be given in future finals. However, it is not clearly explained how this rule would exactly work.
His fourth and final rule change is probably one that would please the Indian fans as he called for a guaranteed medal regardless of making weight for the two that have made their way onto the final.
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