Vinesh Phogat missed her shot at an Olympic medal at the Paris Olympics 2024 by failing to make the weigh-in for the final event in the 50 kg category. On Wednesday morning, Vinesh was about 100 grams over the permissible limit of 50kg, thereby ruling her out of participation in the competition.
The Weight Cut: The torturous process
In wrestling, much like most other contact sports, the athletes go through something called a “weight cut” to reach their exact weight class. This typically means a systematic loss of weight over some period, usually two weeks prior to the event. An athlete may lose even up to 10% of his mass in that period of time. Take the example of a wrestler who weighs 60 kg and is competing in the 57 kg category. They would need to lose 3 kgs of their weight slowly within two weeks.
The final 24 hours leading up to weigh-in are the most difficult times of a weight cut. This is where, in desperation, so many athletes turn to ridiculous strategies such as extra-long cardio sessions in a sweat suit, repeated steam and sauna sessions, trying to get as much fluid out of their body as possible. Others even shave their head just to lose that extra gram or two. Such extreme measures put a great physical and mental drain on the body, and more often than not, such sleepless nights are attributed to exhaustion.
How Wrestling Weigh-Ins Work?
Wrestlers have two weigh-ins. One in the morning when preliminary rounds start and another in the morning for final rounds, to make sure that athletes remain within their weight category throughout the competition.
Vinesh Phogat had successfully made the weight this morning before the day’s preliminary rounds. However, on Wednesday morning—the day of her final—the weight checked in 100 grams above the 50 kg limit, disqualifying her.
Post Weight-Cut Nutrition
By the morning of the competition, when athletes finally make weight, they fill themselves with electrolytes, simple carbohydrates, and a little protein to regain their strength. Therefore, it is believed that athletes should maintain their nutrition very carefully as intake in excess could result in excessive weight gain that forbids them from competing. Normally, wrestlers fight for three bouts on the first day, so they have to balance between good nutrition and hydration without burdening their drained bodies.
Conditions and Regulations of the Competition
The United World Wrestling (UWW) rulebook has stipulated that it is a closed form of competition with stringent weigh-in procedures. Article 8 of the Competition System has stated that there will be a medical control and first weigh-in in the morning of the concerned weight category. The second weigh-in the next morning is for athletes who will compete in the finals and repechages. It is to note that there is no weight tolerance for the second weigh-in, even though there is a 2kg tolerance at World Cup and International Tournaments, excluding UWW Ranking Events.
It is also articulated in UWW’s Chapter 3, Article 11 that each morning, the concerned weight category holds weigh-ins and medical control. The first weigh-in takes 30 minutes, whereas the second weigh-in is also 15 minutes for athletes in the repechages and finals.
Other Instances of Disqualification
Vinesh Phogat is not the first to be disqualified. At the Paris 2024 Olympics, there have been three other wrestlers who did not pass weigh-ins:
– Stevan Mićić (Serbia) – Men’s Freestyle 57 kg
– Batyrbek Tsakulov (Slovakia) – Men’s Freestyle 65 kg
– Danila Semenov (Russia) – Men’s Light Heavyweight (80-92 kg)
Examples like this add weight to just how strict and unforgiving the weight regime is in wrestling, showing how much exact weight really matters in it.
The Sportz Planet Desk,
Atharva Shetye
