Vinesh Phogat Moves to Court of Arbitration for Sport in Last Attempt for Silver Medal

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An entire nation's hopes were crushed under the weight of 100 grams. With hours to go before her gold medal bout on Wednesday, Vinesh Phogat stood on the scale: the figures on display were horrifying. For her 50kg category fight, she was 100 grams overweight, leading to an automatic disqualification on perhaps the biggest day of her sporting career.

"It's part of the game," a brave Vinesh Phogat told the Indian coaches who met her after her shock disqualification. Women's national coach Virender Dahiya and Manjeet Rani met the feisty wrestler, who had caused a flutter at the wrestling arena by beating world number one and defending champion Yui Susaki in the opening round on Tuesday.

Vinesh Phogat has appealed against her elimination with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). She has asked to be awarded the silver medal. CAS has until tomorrow morning to give its final verdict. If CAS rules in Vinesh's favor, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will have to award a joint silver to Vinesh.

Dehydrated after three gruelling bouts on Tuesday, a desperate Vinesh merely had "small amounts of water," cut her hair, and stayed up all night working out to ensure she didn't go over the prescribed limit for her weight. It wasn't enough, and no amount of pleading by the Indian officials to get her some more time to shed those 100 grams could change the rules. So that's how it stayed, ending the 29-year-old's resilient run during which she took down the reigning gold medallist only to be beaten by her own battered body.

As she recovered from the emotional and physical trauma of the turn of events at a polyclinic in the Olympic Games Village, a slugfest ensued in far away Delhi where politicians traded barbs on just who was responsible for the mess. Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered her support, calling her a "champion among champions" in a social media post, and Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya declared that a "strong protest" had been lodged with the international body - United World Wrestling (UWW). The opposition parties, however, sensed a conspiracy in the shocking reversal of fortunes for the wrestler, who was, till recently, the face of a fierce protest against "government inaction" on the sexual harassment allegations against former Wrestling Federation of India head Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. INDIA bloc MPs even held a protest on Parliament premises.

But amid all the drama, a dream lay shattered and a country stood shocked with many unable to fathom just how things could go so bad for Tuesday's showstopper in a matter of hours.

"We are providing Vinesh all medical and emotional support," Indian Olympic Association President P T Usha said in a statement. She was later seen putting her hand on Vinesh's shoulder as she sat upright on her bed at the Games Village clinic. Vinesh managed to smile for that moment. "The Wrestling Federation of India has filed an appeal to UWW to reconsider the decision to disqualify Vinesh and IOA is following that up in the strongest possible manner," Usha said.

The protests and appeals can continue but the cold fact was that Cuban wrestler Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, who lost to Vinesh in the semifinals, replaced her in the final. The contingent's Chief Medical Officer Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala wore a dejected look as he tried to explain the process of weight cutting. He said that every possible trick was used to ensure that Vinesh could be 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. "...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 to the finals in a remarkable performance.

As the nation waits with bated breath for the CAS verdict, Vinesh Phogat's resilience and determination continue to inspire, reminding everyone that in sports, as in life, the battle is often against oneself.