Explainer: All you need to know about Vinesh Phogat's disqualification

Paris, August 7

India's Vinesh Phogat lost a sure-shot Olympic medal in the women's 50 kg freestyle wrestling event after being found over-weight by 100 grams. Here is a ready reckoner on what led to her disqualification.

What was Vinesh Phogat's original weight category before Paris?

Vinesh had always competed in the 53kg category. This time Antim Panghal qualified in that division and Vinesh had to slash weight to compete in the 50 kg category.

What is the permissible weight in any category?

For Olympics, Asian Games, World Championships and Asian Championship, no wrestler gets even one gram concession. For the Ranking Series and Invitational events, one gets a concession of 2kg which means that in these events, one can be 52 kg on the bout day even if they are contesting in 50kg category. Sadly, for Vinesh, Olympic rules are strict.

Has Vinesh ever been disqualified from an International event for being over-weight?

Yes. She was once disqualified from an Olympic qualifying event prior to 2016 Rio Olympics for being over-weight by 400 grams.

What are the rules of weigh-in during Olympic Games?

In Olympic Games, the competition is held across two days and on both days, competing wrestlers need to undergo weight check. On the first day of the competition, the wrestler needs to wear his singlet (wrestling apparel) and get his/her weight measured multiple times in a 30 minute window. Also the medical examination should clear them of any contagious diseases, their nails need to be clipped.

Those who qualify for the gold medal, bronze medal play-offs and repechage bouts again have to come for weigh in on the second day. But on the second day, the window for weigh-in is only 15 minutes and on the morning of the competition. This is where Vinesh's weight was found to be 50.1 kg. Once the 15 minute window was over, Vinesh's medal hopes were dashed.

If Vinesh weighed within permissible limits on Day 1, how did she become ‘over-weight’ on Day 2?

Vinesh had three bouts of six minutes each on the first day. Eighteen minutes of combat sports can drain a wrestler and he/she needs enough amount of hydration and nourishment.

As per Indian contingent's medical head Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala, every wrestler cuts his/her weight to fight in lesser categories. In case of Vinesh, she fought in 53kg mostly with a natural weight of 55 to 56 kg. Once Vinesh came into 50 kg category, she had to shed at least 6kg before every competition. The sudden weight-cut is an extremely difficult process.

After first day, she gained around 1.5 kg after replenishment. Once she had cut it, she couldn't do it in permissible time which was very less. Sudden weight cuts can also cause some serious physical ailments and doctors don't permit that.

Why do you need a second day weigh-in if there is one on Day 1?

This is believed to have been done by United World Wrestling (UWW) to curb the doping menace when they changed the competition format for world and continental events from one to two days in 2018.

Normally, the athletes do weight cutting going into the weigh-in day and once they are cleared, they hydrate and nourish themselves to gain energy and a bit of mass. The ones on higher end of weight spectrum are beneficiaries. Also for a single day event, it was believed that some wrestlers were using supplements between bouts and two-day event and double weigh-in was to put a spanner on that.

Could Vinesh have saved her medal if she would have withdrawn citing injury?

No, she would have still been disqualified. A popular theory doing the rounds is that her team should have declared her injured and retained the silver. But the rule wouldn't have permitted her to do so. The rule states that if a wrestler sustains injury during the competition on the first day, he/she doesn't need to appear on the second day for weigh-in.

However, if a wrestler gets injured after the competition on first day or contracts any disease or illness, he still needs to appear for the weigh-in before he/she can give a walkover. Vinesh wasn't injured during the competition on first day so she had to appear for the weigh-ins.

Can India appeal against the decision?

Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Sanjay Singh has written a letter to the IOC to consider giving Vinesh the silver medal. Even six-time world Champion and 2012 London Olympic gold medallist Jordan Burroughs of USA has urged authorities to award silver to Vinesh and give a second day concession.

But losing semi-finalist Yusneylis Guzman Lopez of Cuba has already been nominated for the final. So the decision won't be overturned.