Tears in Paris

India was deeply hurt by the incident where Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the Paris Olympics after she was found to be 100 grams overweight ahead of the final. Indian fans were over the moon when Vinesh, who had qualified for the Olympics after overcoming many obstacles on and off the field, toppled Japanese world champion and Olympic champion Yui Susaki in the round of 16. The country's excitement rose further as Vinesh reached the final by winning the quarterfinal and semifinal matches on that very same day. However, the news of Vinesh's disqualification for being overweight in the weigh-in test held on the day of the final came as a major shock to everyone.

Vinesh Phogat was one of the leaders of the protest staged by the wrestlers against former Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh based on the sexual harassment allegations raised by junior wrestlers. This history, coupled with the lack of clarity regarding what happened to Vinesh in Paris on the day of the final, raised doubts that a conspiracy had taken place against the wrestler. As a result, questions were raised regarding Vinesh's disqualification even in the Indian Parliament. Weight is a determining factor for participation in sports like boxing, judo, and wrestling. The measurement of weight will be meticulous in events such as the Olympics. Vinesh, who had competed in the 53kg category in the last Olympics, had to reduce her weight to 50kg as another Indian had qualified in the same category in this Olympics.

It is normal for athletes to gain and lose weight, taking into account the time of competitions and training. The team, consisting of the athlete, the coach and the dietician should closely monitor the weight. On the day of the wrestling match, the wrestler will be allowed to enter the mat only after examining his/her weight in the morning. Vinesh weighed more than 50 kg before her first match in Paris. She entered the first match after reducing her weight through rigorous exercise. Vinesh contested in three tough matches on the first day. As a result, she had to take in food and water to maintain fitness for these competitions. Realizing the weight gain, Vinesh tried to reduce her weight by skipping sleep, exercising and even cutting her hair. Yet, she was found to be overweight by 100 grams in the weigh-in test held in the morning. This instance demonstrates that one should pay attention to even the smallest details while participating in a huge event like the Olympics.

Such lapses are not expected from a professional sports team. The athlete, the coach, the dietitian, the medical team and the Indian Olympic Association are all accountable for this. There might have been mistakes on the part of the supporting staff in calculating the athlete's weight. It must be found whether there was a difference in the quantity or quality of food served to Vinesh and whether there was any conspiracy behind it. Vinesh, who was hospitalized after this incident, retired from wrestling yesterday. The Prime Minister was the first to console Vinesh in her misfortune. Although she lost the medal, the Prime Minister called Vinesh the champion of champions. 140 crore Indians still see Vinesh as a fierce warrior even though she didn't win a medal for her exploits in Paris. Indian sports should take caution from this tragedy to ensure that similar mishaps don't occur in the future.