Vinesh Phogat was disqualified after the official weigh-in on Wednesday morning, ahead of her scheduled gold medal bout in the evening. Although she had cleared the weigh-in on Tuesday, Vinesh was found to be “a few grams over 50 kg” on Wednesday morning’s weigh-in. Reports indicated that she was around 2 kilos overweight on Tuesday night, weight she tried to shed overnight but couldn’t.
Vinesh’s situation highlights a larger issue in combat sports: the practice of weight cutting. In recent years, many have called for a ban on athletes drastically cutting and then gaining weight ahead of their fights.
The Indian contingent woke up to the rude jolt of Vinesh’s disqualification, hours before her gold medal bout against American Sarah Hildebrandt. She was found overweight by 100 grams on day two of the weigh-in and resultantly disqualified.
Cuban wrestler Guzman Lopez Yusnelis, who had lost her semifinal to Vinesh, will now clash in the gold medal match against Hildebrandt.
Who is to Blame?
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya made a statement in the Lok Sabha, noting that the government had provided financial assistance of Rs 70 lakh to Vinesh Phogat in the build-up to the Games for training and competitions abroad. Vinesh traveled with her support staff, which included Akos, Lombard, Ashwini Jeevan Patil (physio), Manyank Singh (mental conditioning expert), and Arvind (sparring partner). They trained in Spain, France, and Hungary.
Despite having a team of experts to ensure her success, they failed to manage her basic requirement of maintaining weight, which has upset many. WFI President Sanjay Singh has called for accountability from the coaches, physios, and nutritionists following Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification due to weight issues before the final.
Why Does Weight Matter in Wrestling and Other Combat Sports?
Combat sports like wrestling, boxing, judo, and mixed martial arts (MMA) are organized according to weight classes to ensure fair and competitive matches. Fighters of similar weight are more likely to have similar physical attributes, creating an even playing field. Without weight classes, larger athletes would naturally have an advantage over smaller ones.
What Are Weigh-Ins?
Athletes in a particular weight class must weigh equal to or less than the stipulated weight. Since weight constantly fluctuates due to factors like eating, drinking, and bodily functions, it’s impractical to monitor an athlete’s weight throughout a competition. Instead, combat sports use a system of weigh-ins, where athletes must meet weight requirements at designated times before (and sometimes after) their competitions.
According to United World Wrestling’s (UWW) Olympics weigh-in rules, wrestlers are weighed on the morning of their competition while wearing their singlet. Since the Olympics competition spans two days, there are two weigh-ins: a 30-minute period on Day 1 and a 15-minute period on Day 2. Other sports or competitions may have different rules regarding weigh-ins.
What is Weight Cutting and Why Do Athletes Do It?
Weight cutting involves athletes drastically reducing their weight in a short period of time to meet the stipulated weight for weigh-ins. Many combat sports athletes believe that cutting weight before a bout can provide them with an edge over their opponent by quickly rebounding in weight and thus weighing more than their weight class stipulates. This weight cut primarily involves shedding accumulated water weight through intense exercise, saunas, heavy clothing, and avoiding water and food.
After the weigh-in, athletes quickly regain the weight through fluids and carb-heavy meals, feeling this gives them an advantage in the actual bout, which usually takes place hours or a day after the weigh-in. However, scientific evidence supporting this theory is inconclusive.
Potential Harms of Weight Cutting
There are limits to how much weight can be cut in a certain period without endangering an athlete’s physical and mental well-being. In high-stakes sports, athletes may push these limits, sometimes with dangerous or even deadly consequences.
For example, in 2018, UFC fighter Uriah Hall suffered a “mini-seizure” and a “slight heart attack” during weight cutting. In 2015, Chinese MMA fighter Yang Jian Bing died due to dehydration while cutting weight.
Researchers O R Barley, D W. Chapman, and Chris Abbiss outlined the risks in their 2019 study, “The Current State of Weight-Cutting in Combat Sports,” highlighting increased risks of acute cardiovascular problems, brain injury, heat illness, hormonal imbalances, and more.
Should Weight Cutting Be Banned?
Some experts have called for a ban on weight cutting, but not everyone agrees, especially athletes who believe in safe weight cutting methods through a strict, longer-term regime. Progressive weight cutting leading up to the competition, rather than in a day, is considered safer by some. However, critics argue that there is no scientific evidence proving weight cutting can be done safely, and even “safe strategies” may impact an athlete’s health in the long term.
How Could a Ban on Weight Cutting Work?
Following Yang’s death, ONE Championship instituted a weight cutting ban to ensure athletes’ safety, which could serve as a model for other sports. ONE Championship’s strategy includes multiple weigh-ins leading up to a fight and urine tests to check dehydration. They allow athletes some flexibility for being overweight, negotiating a catchweight if necessary.
While other promotions and sports have not gone to these lengths, they have made some moves to discourage weight cutting. For instance, Olympic wrestlers now have to weigh in on two different days to dissuade drastic weight cuts and gains during the competition.