Devendra KumarVinesh Phogat was disqualified due to being overweight in the Paris Olympics. Vinesh Phogat was not able to play in the finals. Vinesh Phogat was challenging in the women’s 50 kg freestyle competition. But on Wednesday, when she was weighed in Paris, she was just a few grams overweight. The Indian team that went to Paris took some time to bring Vinesh’s weight down to 50 kg.
Weight Categories and the Importance of Compliance
A lot of people may wonder if someone can be disqualified from the finals just for a few grams. The answer is yes. Weight is very important. In a wrestling event, the participants are divided according to their weight category.
Along with wrestling, in many other sports like boxing, the participants are categorized according to their weight. The reason behind this is so that all the players get a fair chance. In any tournament, there is a competition for one weight class for two days.
Officially, when the weight is weighed for the first time, the weight of the player is allowed to play only in that weight class. At the time of weigh-in, the player can only wear a sleeveless shirt, and there can be no compromise in the matter of increased weight.
The Weigh-In Process and Medical Check-Ups
On the first day of the weigh-in, a medical check-up and weigh-in are done in the morning. During this time, the players undergo medical check-ups, and if a player is exposed to any type of infection, then they are shown the way out. Players can’t even keep their nails long. This process lasts for about half an hour. The players who are fit according to their weight category are allowed to play further.
Those who qualify for the finals have to gain weight the next morning, as in the case of Vinesh. This process lasts for 15 minutes. According to the rules of the UWW, there is no compromise in weight during this period. The rules clearly state that during the entire weighting process, wrestlers can weigh as much as they want. For this process, referees are required to keep checking and ensure that the wrestlers are qualifying according to all the parameters.
If an athlete does not complete the weight process or fails in it, then they are disqualified from the competition and placed on the last platform. If a player who reaches the finals is disqualified due to weight, then in the semi-finals, the loser is given a chance to play in the finals, just like the IOC did in the case of Vinesh Phogat.
The Challenges and Risks of Weight Cutting
In a sports event for a particular weight category, to stay fit when we reduce weight, it is called weight cutting. This process is very common. Athletes start weight cutting a few weeks before the tournament starts. Reducing weight slowly is usually safer, but sports nutritionists believe that it has its own risks too.
But then why do athletes do this? When they wrestle with a heavier athlete than themselves, they may be at a disadvantage. There are many reports in which athletes reduced their weight before being weighed and their weight increased again just before the tournament. In such a case, to stop this practice, the UWW changed this format in 2017. Once the weight was done, all their matches were done on the same day.
But now there is a two-day system so that it can be ensured that the player starts fighting by reducing a lot of weight on the first day itself. It is being said that Vinesh’s weight was only 100 grams more, and she also worked hard to lose weight, but she could not fit in the 50 kg category.
The Impact of Weight Changes on Athletes
So, why is it difficult to lose weight? The answer is that the human body keeps changing. Many times, the weight of the same person changes in a single day. In this case, the player’s weight is measured on both days of the match. If a player is making space in a particular category, then it is expected that their weight should remain the same on both days.
In the Olympics, the player is expected to play in the category in which they qualify. It is not easy to play in a category less than your weight. In order to do this, weight has to be reduced, and the same weight has to be maintained for two days of the tournament.
Acc to ex-wrestler, that many wrestlers who choose to play in the low-weight category have to reduce their meals. Some people stay hungry, and this also affects their body. It is a challenge to overcome this weakness before the game.
In such a situation, it is not easy to bring about a change in your body. If a wrestler’s weight is on the borderline, then they are also tense, which can also affect the game.
Also Read About- UWW Weigh-in Rules
Vinesh Phogat’s Previous Challenges and Future Hopes
Vinesh had to face challenges in terms of weight earlier as well. In the Olympic year 2016, she had to lose weight in the 48 kg category, and this challenge was being fulfilled. Later, Vinesh was successful in making space and playing under this category, but later she was out due to injury. In the Tokyo Olympics, Vinesh played in the 53 kg category but lost in the quarter-finals.
In the Paris Olympics, Vinesh had decided to play in the lighter category and lose weight a few days earlier. But now, only a few grams of weight, Vinesh Phogat and the hopes of winning gold have proved to be heavy.
Devendra Kumar
