Furosemide, sold under the brand name Lasix, is a loop diuretic used in treatment of congestive heart failure and edema. It drains water stored in the body through frequent urination, but its unprescribed use can lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, while an overdose can cause serious problems ranging from frequent seizures to kidney damage.

Dr Dilip Sarda, president of the city unit of the Indian Medical Association, said the use of Lasix without a prescription was dangerous because of its life-threatening side effects. “Lasix may be a source of temporary weight loss but it causes severe dehydration in the long term. If it is consumed without the doctor’s supervision, it could prove fatal,” he said.

Another coach, Jasvinder Singh from Delhi, also confirmed that Lasix was in common use, “but only by unintelligent wrestlers”.

Satpal Singh, coach of Olympic bronze medallist Sushil Kumar, however, said he had never come across any wrestler using it in his career. “This has never happened in my time. Whenever we are to take tablets of any kind, we always consult a doctor,” he said.

But some officials said they were aware that the use of Lasix was prevalent, and that it was not confined to wrestling alone — it’s popular with weightlifters and other weight-category sports as well. “The use of Lasix is common among weightlifters. They also consume laxatives in order to lose weight as a last resort,” said Suresh Kapare, the vice president of the Maharashtra Weightlifting Federation.