Vinesh Phogat was 49.9 kg in the weigh-in on Day 1 (August 6) of her women's 50kg wrestling bouts at the Paris Olympics 2024. After she won three back-to-back bouts on Tuesday to become the first Indian female wrestler to advance to the Olympic final, Vinesh sensed something and asked for a weight check. She was overweight by more than close to 3kgs. How come a wrestler who weighed 49.9kg in the morning put on 2.7 kg by night? And that too after participating in three gruelling wrestling bouts of three minutes each?

The answer lies somewhere between miscalculation and bad luck.

Gaining weight during wrestling bouts is nothing unusual; neither is a wrestler going through a strict regime to pass the weigh-in. Most wrestlers compete in weight categories below their original body weight to gain strength advantage. Vinesh's body weight is around 56kg but she preferred the 53kg category for the better part of her career. In Paris, however, she had further reduced her weight to get an Olympic quota as the 53kg spot went to Antim Panghal.

After the strict regime, which includes very little food and water consumption, excessive exercise and sauna, a wrestler goes through to be within the permissible weight limit on the morning of the completion, she is allowed to have a light meal, some water and other nutri supplements to ensure she has enough strength and energy to last the wrestling bouts. This results in weight gain, which is again reduced by wrestlers who have qualified for the medal rounds before the next day's weigh-in.

Vinesh's coaches and support staff members also expected something similar. Then what went wrong? How did Vinesh's weight cross the permissible limit by 100gm, resulting in her disqualification? Contingent's Chief Medical Officer, Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala, looked dejected as he tried to explain the weight-cutting process. He said that every possible trick was used to ensure that Vinesh could stay within the prescribed limit.

"The process of weight cut involves a calculated restriction of food and water along with sweating from exercises and sauna till the morning weigh-in. This weight cut causes weakness and energy depletion, which is counter-productive to participation," he said.

A combination of miscalculation and misfortune led to Vinesh's weight gain and disqualification

Pardiwala said Vinesh's nutritionist expected a weight increase of 1.5kg but unfortunately, it was 2.7kg. In the end, Vinesh was found 100gm overweight in the weigh-in on the morning of her gold medal bout, resulting in her disqualification.

"...for energy restoration, limited water and high energy foods are given after weigh-in. Vinesh's nutritionist had calculated this to be 1.5 kg. There sometimes is also a rebound weight gain following competition," he added.

Pardiwala revealed that Vinesh's post participation weight had increased on Tuesday night and drastic measures were taken to save the situation.

"...including cutting off her hair. However, she was not below her allowed weight of 50kg," he said.

International rules stipulate that any grappler found overweight at the time of weigh-in ends up at the bottom of the final standings.

It is a particularly devastating result given that she had taken down defending champion and unbeaten till Tuesday, Yui Susaki of Japan, en route the finals in a remarkable performance.

Vinesh's ouster means that the 50kg category will offer only one bronze medal in the Games as against the usual two, which are decided after bouts between the losing semifinalists and the two repechage round winners.

The Indian wrestling contingent was expectedly oscillating between anger and despair.

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