Vinesh Phogat’s all-night race to make weight cut: Hair chopped, clothes shortened, sauna procedures

It was an extra 100 grams that prevented Vinesh Phogat from becoming the first Indian woman to play in an Olympic Wrestling final. Phogat however, had undergone all the drastic measures through the night in the lead-up to her bout to cut on the excess weight.

“We had tried all the drastic weight-cut measures through the night including cutting her hair, shortening her clothes, despite all of this we could not make that 50Kg weight category,” said Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala, Chief Medical Officer of the Indian Contingent in Paris.

Pardiwala shared that the race against time had begun after Vinesh was found exceeding the weight category following her third and final bout on Tuesday.

“We found that her post-participation weight was increased more than normal and the coach initiated the normal process of weight cut, that he’s always employed with Vinesh. This is something that’s worked with her for a long period of time. He felt confident that this would be achieved and over the night, we went ahead with the weight-cut procedure. However, in the morning we found that despite all of our efforts, her weight was 100 grams over her 50Kg weight category. Hence, she was disqualified,” Pardiwala said.

Pardiwala also gave an update on Vinesh being admitted in the local Olympic hospital on Wednesday for regulation blood tests and preventing dehydration.

“All of Vinesh’s parameters during the weight cut were normal. Throughout the process, she actually felt perfectly normal. She just interacted with IOA President PT Usha, and she told her that although she is physically and medically perfectly normal, she’s disappointed that this is her third Olympics and that she was disqualified.”

Science behind weight-cut

Pardiwala explained the process that goes behind weight-cut and why wrestlers usually prefer fighting in a category that is lesser than their usual weight.

“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 is done through sauna and exercise,” Pardiwala said.

“This weight cut has the benefit of putting you in a lighter category but does cause weakness and energy depletion. And this is counter-productive to participation. So, most wrestlers will thereafter go for some amount of energy restoration with some amount of water and higher energy foods. And these are usually given after the weigh-in,” he added.

The Indian contingent’s chief medical officer furthermore added that the wrestler featuring in three bouts meant that her nutritionist had to give her some amount of water to avoid dehydration.

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“The calculation from the nutritionist which is done is athlete specific and Vinesh’s nutritionist felt that the usual amount that she takes is 1.5 Kg – throughout the day – which gives her enough energy for the bout. Sometimes there’s also the factor of rebound weight gained following the fight. Vinesh had three bouts, and to prevent dehydration, some amount of water had to be given.”

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