Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification at Paris Olympics 2024: How a wrestler could gain so much weight so quickly?
PTC Web Desk: At the Paris Olympics 2024, Vinesh Phogat, who had weighed in at 49.9 kg on August 6 for her women’s 50kg wrestling bouts, faced a major setback. After a series of impressive victories that made her the first Indian female wrestler to reach an Olympic final, she encountered a weight issue that led to her disqualification. Despite her rigorous preparations and weight management strategies, Vinesh found herself 100 grams over the permissible limit at the weigh-in for her gold medal bout.
Wrestlers often grapple with weight issues due to the nature of their sport. It’s common for athletes to compete in weight categories below their natural body weight to gain a strength advantage. Vinesh, who typically competes in the 53kg category but had recently been competing in the 50kg class, was forced to undergo a stringent weight-cutting regimen. This regimen includes severe food and water restrictions, intense exercise, and sauna sessions to ensure they meet the morning weigh-in requirements. Once the weigh-in is completed, wrestlers are permitted to consume small amounts of food and water to replenish their energy levels before competing.
On the day of the weigh-in, Vinesh’s weight was exactly 49.9 kg, within the limit for the 50kg category. However, after her victories on Tuesday, which included three intense matches, she requested a weight check and discovered she was overweight by approximately 2.7 kg. This unexpected weight gain, especially after competing in grueling bouts, raised questions about how a wrestler could gain so much weight so quickly.
The discrepancy in Vinesh’s weight was attributed to a combination of miscalculation and unfortunate circumstances. Wrestlers usually experience weight gain after the weigh-in due to the reintroduction of food and fluids. Vinesh’s nutritionist had anticipated a weight increase of around 1.5 kg after her post-weigh-in meals and supplements. Unfortunately, the actual increase was 2.7 kg, leading to her being 100 grams over the allowed limit.
Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala, the Chief Medical Officer of the Indian wrestling contingent, expressed his disappointment as he explained the weight-cutting process. He noted that the method involves a calculated reduction of food and water intake combined with rigorous sweating from exercises and sauna sessions. This weight-cutting strategy often leads to weakness and energy depletion, which can be counterproductive to performance.
Dr Pardiwala said despite all precautions, Vinesh’s post-match weight gain was greater than anticipated. In a desperate bid to rectify the situation, drastic measures, including cutting off her hair, were taken. Unfortunately, these efforts were not sufficient to bring her weight under the required limit.
According to international wrestling regulations, any athlete found overweight at the time of the official weigh-in is disqualified and ranked at the bottom of the final standings. This rule was particularly devastating for Vinesh, who had already secured a notable victory over Japan’s defending champion Yui Susaki on her path to the finals.
Vinesh’s disqualification means that the 50kg category at the Paris Games will only award one bronze medal instead of the usual two, which are typically contested by the losing semifinalists and the winners of the repechage rounds.