This time, it wasn't injuries, as was the case in 2016, when she exited in the quarter-finals at just 21 years old. Nor was it a neurological condition that left her dazed on the mat, as happened in Tokyo in the next edition. Unfortunately, Vinesh Phogat's story with the Olympics is a tale of 'almost but not quite.'

A curse that, due to the whims of fate, has deprived the talented wrestler of a medal on multiple occasions. And at Paris 2024, this torment reached its peak: disqualification due to an overweight issue caused by severe dehydration she suffered days earlier. Unbelievable.

Life often sets up scenarios to test us. However, Vinesh Phogat's challenge seems constant. The 29-year-old was making Olympic history for India as the first from her country to reach the gold medal bout in her category, defeating Cuban Yusneylis Guzmán in the semifinals —who will now compete for the top honor in place of the Indian athlete—.

However, the unfortunate incident meant she had to return to India empty-handed. It's worth noting that hers wasn't the only disqualification due to weight control issues. For example, Italian Emanuela Liuzzi was also forced to leave Paris before even starting her adventure.

The background begins with Phogat's transfer to the Olympic village clinic due to dehydration she experienced on the day of the competition. In her mind, she already envisioned facing American Sarah Hildebrandt, the bronze medalist from Tokyo 2020, who was her last obstacle to securing India's first-ever gold medal in wrestling.

The young wrestler from Balali was 100 grams over the 50 kg weight limit during the weigh-in early this morning. In fact, Vinesh had weighed 49.90 kg the previous Tuesday before starting her fights.

Nevertheless, as the day progressed, she gained weight, securing three consecutive victories, including one over defending Olympic champion Yui Susaki, to reach the final. Her rise to stardom was nearly sealed. She was the favorite to win gold. Until everything went off the rails...

At that moment, a critical current emerged from the more extreme sectors of social media: weight control. One user pointed out that this preparation “is the most important for a wrestler, and it's surprising such negligence from someone as experienced and respected as Vinesh Phogat.” Another user, however, pointed the finger directly at the Indian technical staff as the culprit of this Olympic nightmare.

The athlete, her coaches, and her team tried to rectify the situation the night before the final, hoping to do so as soon as possible. They did not want to become a disappointment for India after Phogat's stellar performance on the mats at the Champ-de-Mars Arena. They spent the night awake, refraining from food and water to pass the weigh-in. With the situation desperate, they sought extreme solutions like cutting her hair and attempting to draw blood. Yet, all efforts proved in vain.

"This morning she was detected with an overweight of 100g. The rules do not permit this and she has been disqualified," one of the Indian team's coaches told the media. "Everyone here feels like someone from the family has died. We are all shocked," revealed Virender Dahiya, coach of the Indian women's team.

"Despite the team's efforts during the night, this morning she weighed a few grams over 50 kg," concluded another voice from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).

Although it seems unfair, according to the United World Wrestling (UWW) regulations, "if an athlete does not attend or fails the weigh-in, they will be eliminated from the competition and ranked last without qualification." And that was the horrible fate for young Phogat, though it's important to highlight a key aspect. Previously, the wrestler had struggled to make weight; she nearly failed to qualify during the Asian Olympic qualifiers just months ago.

Upon hearing the news, many prominent voices, including those within the IOA, called for privacy for Phogat, who was devastated. She had three opportunities to win a medal: in Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020, and the closest one, which was almost assured, at Paris 2024. And three times it slipped through her fingers.

Another pillar of support who has not abandoned Phogat is Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The politician offered words of encouragement to Vinesh: "You are a champion among champions. You are the pride of India and an inspiration to every Indian. Today's setback hurts. I wish words could express the sense of despair I am experiencing," he posted on his official X profile.

In a bid to re-motivate the 29-year-old athlete, Modi urged her to draw on her resilience, always present due to the setbacks she has faced in her career. "You have always been in your nature to face challenges. Come back stronger! We all support you," added the Prime Minister, who explored all avenues with the IOA to prevent this case from ending in disqualification. However, it remained unchanged.