Indian contingent’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala said ‘drastic measures’ were taken to reduce Vinesh Phogat’s weight after she gained 2 kilograms before the weigh-in ahead of her gold medal bout at the Paris Olympics. Dinshaw Pardiwala, who takes care of the medical requirements for the Indian contingent, conceded Vinesh was not able to lose those extra 100 grams at the weigh-in.
Vinesh Phogat was found 100 grams overweight during the weigh-in on the second day of the competition. Vinesh was disqualified from the Olympic wrestling final bout. The International Olympic Committee confirmed that Vinesh would finish last in the women’s 50kg event and that Cuba’s Lopez Yusneylis, who lost to Vinesh in the semi-final, would fight for Gold medal on Wednesday, August 7.
“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 prior to the weigh-in in the morning involves a calculated restriction of food and water. Besides this, the athlete needs to sweat, and that sweating is done by sauna and exercises. Now this weight cut has the benefit of putting you in a lighter weight category.
