Vinesh Phogat Olympic disqualification: Responsibility of weight management is of athletes, says PT Usha

After coming under fire over the Vinesh Phogat weigh-in fiasco, Indian Olympic Association president PT Usha on Sunday made it clear that it is the athlete’s responsibility to control his or her weight and the attack on his or her medical team, especially chief medical officer Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala, is “unacceptable and worthy of condemnation”.

Vinesh, 29, was left heartbroken after being disqualified ahead of her 50kg freestyle gold medal match for being 100g overweight at the morning weigh-in, crushing her Olympic dreams and prompting her to announce her retirement.

The incident started a blame game, which also led to an uproar in Parliament, with some quarters attacking Dr Pardiwala and his team for negligence and former IOA chief Narendra Batra suggesting that Vinesh’s diet might have had something to do with his disqualification.

“…the responsibility for weight management of athletes in sports such as wrestling, weightlifting, boxing and judo rests with each athlete and their coach and NOT with the IOA-appointed medical director Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala and his team,” Usha said in a statement.

“…the hatred directed against the IOA medical team, especially Dr Pardiwala, is unacceptable and deserves condemnation.” She hoped that those rushing to judge the IOA medical team would “consider all the facts before coming to any conclusions.”

Vinesh had created history by becoming the first Indian wrestler to clinch the gold medal in her category on Tuesday evening. But her post-participation weight was found to have increased and despite all measures, which included cutting her hair, she was found to be 100 grams overweight during the morning weigh-in.

“Every Indian athlete who participated in the Paris 2024 Olympics in this sport had their own support team. These support teams have been working with the athletes for many years,” said Usha.

“The IOA appointed a medical team a couple of months ago, primarily as a team that would assist in the recovery and injury management of athletes during and after the competition. This team was also designed to support athletes who did not have their own team of nutritionists and physiotherapists.” Vinesh has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), demanding that she be awarded a joint silver medal with Cuban wrestler Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, who had lost to the Indian but was later promoted to the final following the Haryana wrestler’s disqualification.

American Sarah Hildebrandt won gold after defeating Lopez in the title fight.

The decision on Vinesh’s appeal is expected on August 13.

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