Olympic medal dreams shattered but don't blame the system !!

India suffered a heart-breaking 2-3 defeat against Germany in the semi-final of the men's hockey event at the Paris Olympics on Tuesday. With the defeat, India's dream chance to end a 44-year wait for an Olympic final appearance also came to an end.  

Sad that dreams of a resilient sportsperson and that of a Nation lay shattered by a rule and social media is abuzz with conspiracy theories.  While everyone feels sad, one must understand and admit that rules are in place everywhere, in every sport, more so in contact sports, whose   battles are arranged according to weight divisions, competitors  must endure the arduous task of remaining inside their respective divisions.   It is not as though she was robbed by a rule but was aware of a rule which she could not comply with .. .. 

The wrestling competitions at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris are scheduled to run from 5 to 11 August at Grand Palais Éphémère in Champ de Mars. 288 wrestlers are  competing  across 18 weight categories at these Games. The men will wrestle against each other in both freestyle and Greco-Roman events, whereas the women will only participate in the freestyle wrestling, with 18 gold medals awarded.  For women Freestyle is in 50kg, 53, 57, 62, 68 & 76 kg meaning that every competitor must be within the weight limits prescribed. Wrestling has been contested at every modern Summer Olympic Games, except Paris 1900.

 

Vinesh Phogat, who was making Indians dream of a record gold medal in Olympics if she won the final wrestling match in 50 kg category, has been disqualified!  Vinesh Phogat’s dream run at the Paris Olympics has come e to a morale-shattering halt after she failed to meet the weight requirement for her women’s 50kg wrestling gold medal bout. She also lost out on a confirmed silver medal.  She pulled off in great style  defeating World No.1 and reigning Olympic gold-medalist Yui Susaki in Paris at the world's biggest sporting event. 

Uncertainty, winning and losing  are integral parts of every  sports. Things can change even at the very last minute. But the change this time is very tragic not for Phogat alone – however there is no point in blaming the system !!

 

At Paris Olympics  2024, each weight category is organised over two competition days. The medical control and weigh-in for each category takes place in the morning of the first competition day. On the second competition day, wrestlers who have qualified for the finals and repechage are weighed in again. According to wrestling rules, if a wrestler fails the weigh-in on either day of the competition (preliminaries, and repechage and final rounds), they are eliminated from the event. 

“Wrestlers usually participate in a weight category less than their natural weight. It gives them an advantage since they are fighting with less stronger opponents. The process of weight cut involves a calculated restriction of food and water along with sweating from exercises and sauna till the morning weigh-in. 

“This weight cut causes weakness and energy depletion, which is counter-productive to participation, and hence, for energy restoration, limited water and high-energy foods are given after weigh-in. Vinesh's nutritionist had calculated this to be 1.5kg. There sometimes is also a rebound weight gain following competition. “Vinesh had three bouts, and hence, small amounts of water had to be given to prevent dehydration. Her post-participation weight was found to be increased. The coach initiated the normal process of weight cut that he has always employed with Vinesh and felt confident that it would be achieved. 

However, Vinesh was found to be 100 grams over her 50kg weight category, and hence, she was disqualified. All possible drastic measures, including cutting off her hair, were used. However, she was not below her allowed weight of 50kg.  Vinesh interacted with IOA President Dr PT Usha and mentioned that though she is physically and medically perfectly normal, she is disappointed with her disqualification.” 

Olympic rules categorically state that the  qualified athletes for the finals and repechages will be weigh-in again the second morning of the concerned weight category. No more weight tolerance will be allowed for the second weigh-in.  During the first weigh-in, wrestlers will have 30 minutes to make weight. They have the right to get on the scale as many times as they wish. Contestants are weighed with their singlets, but nothing else. Athletes will also be examined to make sure they have no signs of any contagious disease and that their fingernails are cut very short.  For any wrestlers competing on the second day, the weigh-in will last 15 minutes. This is a non-negotiable window during which the wrestler must make the required weight or risk disqualification. 

Two kilograms weight tolerance is allowed for World Cup and for the International Tournaments (Except UWW Ranking Events).   The Olympics follow a strict weight restriction without the 2kg weigh in tolerance. 

Once the weight is made and the weigh in is done, athletes usually hydrate and eat in order to gain energy for the actual sporting event. This involves recovering fluids and the body mass lost. Once the competition ends, the cycle of cutting weight down begins again. For wrestlers, who have two weigh ins, this is particularly challenging as body mass has to be built for strength and then slashed down to make the cut drastically in short periods of time.  For wrestlers that often involves eating little to nothing too sometimes.  It is stated that in  her case, due to the extreme weight cut, her body went into siege mode i.e refused to give up any more water. It resulted in bare margins. An approximately 100gm difference to the weight she needed. 

For women athletes, hormonal changes can occur. Sometimes even death can occur. In 1997, three USA collegiate wrestlers made national headlines, dying from the same cause - weight cutting within 33 days of each other. In all three cases, the students experienced dehydration resulting in hypothermia after they layered on clothes and did endless workouts in heated rooms. Unfortunately, they out-worked their bodies. The perspiration they produced cooled them to the point of hypothermia resulting in heart attacks and kidney failure, all common effects of extreme weight cutting. 

According to Article 11 of the United World Wrestling’s rule book, an athlete who fails to make the weight cut will be eliminated from the event. “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.” The last clause there, without rank, strips her of the triumphs she amassed en route to the final.  For those suggesting that Vinesh have pulled out of the final if she felt she couldn't make weight -- that's not allowed. 

it is pertinent to note that this is not the first time that Vinesh Phogat has been disqualified for being overweight. Back in 2016, Phogat was featuring in the 48 kg category competition but was disqualified from the first World Olympic Qualifying event for the Rio Olympic Games.  Back then she was overweight by 400 grams for 48 kg.   

Before Paris Olympics 2024, Vinesh switched to the 50 kg category with WFI deciding to go ahead with World Championships bronze medallist Antim Panghal in Vinesh's preferred 53 kg category. Even after her disqualification, the Indian sports fraternity has extended their support to the wrestler. 

Sad, but rules are rules and perhaps the athlete, coach and some knew this could happen !!

 
With regards – S Sampathkumar
7.8.2024
*collated from various sources including Olympics official web, BBC,  NDTV, Hind Times, INES & Sportstar.