Why Vinesh failed weigh-in | Explained News

Wrestler Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the Paris Olympics after the official weigh-in on Wednesday morning, ahead of her scheduled gold medal bout in the evening. She will return from Paris without a medal.

While she had cleared the weigh-in on Tuesday, Vinesh was found to be “a few grams over 50 kg” in Wednesday morning’s weigh-in. The Indian Express first reported that she was learnt to be 2 kilos overweight on Tuesday night — weight that she tried her best to cut overnight but could not.

What is a weight cut? Why do wrestlers need to cut weight?

Combat sports — wrestling, boxing, judo, mixed martial arts (MMA), etc. — are organised according to weight classes. Since athletes of similar weight (and thus, size) are likely to have similar physical attributes, weight classes are meant to ensure a relatively level playing field, where larger and bulkier athletes do not end up competing with smaller ones.

However, it is common for bigger athletes to cut weight — drastically lose a set number of kilos — before a competition. This, they believe, can provide a competitive edge by not only allowing them to participate in a lower weight class than that of their “natural weight”, but to also quickly regain the lost weight and effectively fighting heavier than their weight during the weigh-in.

See also  Section 80 TTB deduction | With Automated Income Tax Preparation Software in Excel for the Non-Govt Employees for the F.Y.2022-23

What is a weigh-in? When do wrestlers weigh in?

Athletes have to make their stipulated weight during the weigh-in, which takes place before their competition. Different sports and competitions have slightly different rules with regard to weigh-ins.

Festive offer

According to the United World Wrestling’s (UWW) Olympics weigh-in rules, wrestlers are weighed, in their singlet, on the morning of their competition. Since Olympic wrestling takes place over two days (round of 16 to the semis on Day 1, repechage and the final on Day 2), the weigh-in takes place on both days. On Day 1, wrestlers have a 30-minute window to get themselves weighed. On Day 2, they have only a 15-minute window.

Why did Vinesh not make the weight on Day 2, despite doing so on Day 1?

According to the UWW, “If an athlete does not attend or fails the weigh-in (the 1st or the 2nd weigh-in), he will be eliminated from the competition and ranked last, without rank”. This means that athletes have to make the weight on both days.

This is especially tricky as wrestlers relying on extreme weight-cutting measures before a competition also gain weight quickly after their weigh-in. In Vinesh’s case, she was able to cut weight prior to the Day 1 weigh- in. But over the course of the day, she gained the last couple of kilos she had lost.
After Day 1’s competition, she worked hard to cut this weight once again. But failed to do so in time for the weigh-in on Day 2.

How do wrestlers cut weight?

Most wrestlers rely on extreme weight-cutting measures in the days and weeks leading up to a competition. This involves skipping carbohydrates, not drinking water, and intense exercise.

See also  Axotel appoints Pramod Pillai as VP and Head of Global Partnerships

Last-minute weight cuts primarily involve losing excess fluids accumulated in the body — this is the “easiest” weight to shed. Athletes use saunas and wear heavy clothing to lose excess fluids through sweating.

Doctor Dinshaw Pardiwala, the Chief Medical Officer of the Indian Olympic contingent, said that “drastic measures” were taken to bring Vinesh’s weight down to 50 kg in time for Wednesday’s weigh-in.

Apart from rigorous exercise and time in the sauna, this included cutting her hair and shortening her singlet. Throughout Day 1, however, she was given a regular intake of food and water to ensure she had the energy required to compete in three high-intensity bouts.

“The nutritionist’s calculation is athlete-specific.Vinesh usually takes 1.5 kilos throughout the day, which gives her enough energy for her bouts,” Dr Pardiwala said. “Vinesh had three bouts, and to prevent dehydration, some amount of water had to be given,” he said.

Why has Vinesh always struggled to cut weight for the 50 kg class?

Vinesh’s usual body weight is around 55-56 kg, which she had to cut to 50 kg for the competition. Cutting to and maintaining this significantly lower body weight is tough as there is simply not enough fat and fluids for the body to cut. Moreover, cutting water weight through sweating has proven to be extremely challenging for the Indian wrestler.

Notably, Vinesh only recently switched from the 53 kg to the 50 kg class at the Olympic trials at the National Institute of Sports, Patiala. The reason for this switch had more to do with politics surrounding Indian wrestling than sporting merit.

See also  GSTN Enables New Feature for Registered Taxpayers to Track Return Filing Status by FY-Wise

Vinesh had been unable to compete in the 2023 World Championships due to a long-term knee injury. In her absence, wrestler Antim Panghal won the bronze medal and earned India a quota for the 53 kg event at the Paris Olympics.

The ad-hoc committee which was running Indian wrestling at the time, amidst the wrestlers’ protests against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and strongman Brijbhushan Sharan Singh, said that Antim would have to compete against the winner of the 53 kg Olympic trials to secure her berth at the mega event. But this promise was not set in stone.

When Vinesh returned from her injury for the Olympic trials, she wanted to compete in the 53 kilo class but was not given clarity about whether the promised bout against Antim would take place at all. With WFI once again assuming control of Indian wrestling, this time under a close aide of Brij Bhushan, Vinesh decided to compete in the 50 kg trial instead. She won the 50 kg trial and qualified for the Olympics. Antim went through in the 53 kg category without competing in a trial.

What did the UWW say about Vinesh’s disqualification?

UWW president Nenad Lalovic was asked about why as little as 100 grams extra weight disqualified Vinesh from the gold medal bout. He said that it was not this 100 grams that was the problem, but the weight that had already been cut.

“We want athletes to compete at their natural weight. This is when they give their best performance,” Lalovic said. “The problem is (wrestlers) already lose 5 kg to have a tolerance of 1 kg. A wrestler sometimes loses 50% of their natural weight and that’s definitely not okay.”



[ad_2]

Source link

Related posts

Leave a Comment