Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification: Wrestlers like Sakshi Malik, Jordan Burroughs say cutting weight is bigger struggle than wrestling on mat

On Wednesday morning, the world was left stunned when news broke that Vinesh Phogat had failed to make a crucial second weight cut and was disqualified from the Paris Olympics. That meant that the Indian wrestler would not be able to take part in the 50kg wrestling gold-medal bout on Wednesday night against USA’s Sarah Hildebrandt and will return from Paris empty-handed.

“It’s very easy for us to wrestle in matches compared to cutting weight. For us, cutting weight is like winning a medal, our first struggle,” former Olympic bronze medallist Saksji Malik said in an interaction on Sports18.

2012 Olympics gold medallist wrestler Jordan Burroughs also weighed in on the matter, tweeting, “Maybe stories like this will wake up the IOC. Wrestling needs MORE than six weight classes! After three tough matches against world class opponents, no athlete should have to spend the night preparing for a Gold medal in this manner. Absolute desperation from the Indian team trying to get the last bit of weight off of Vinesh to qualify for today’s final.”

He also suggested the following rule changes to the UWW, like 1kg second Day Weight Allowances, Weigh-ins pushed from 8:30am to 10:30am, Forfeit will occur in future finals if opposing finalist misses weight, after a semifinal victory, both finalists’ medals are secured even if weight is missed on Day 2. Gold can only be won by a wrestler who makes weight on the second day and also appealed for a silver medal for Vinesh.

Proposed Immediate Rule Changes for UWW:

1.) 1kg second Day Weight Allowance.

2.) Weigh-ins pushed from 8:30am to 10:30am.

3.) Forfeit will occur in future finals if opposing finalist misses weight.

4.) After a semifinal victory, both finalists’ medals are secured even if…

— Jordan Burroughs (@alliseeisgold) August 7, 2024

Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala, Chief Medical Officer of the Indian Contingent in Paris, spoke of the all-night race that the medical team and Vinesh had run to help her make the weight cut, which included desperate measures like her hair being chopped, her clothes shortened, and tiring sauna procedures.

In the mixed zone of the wrestling event, Greek coach Evangelia Nikolaou told Mihir Vasavda, The Indian Express’ man on the ground in Paris covering the Olympics, that it’s very very tough for women wrestlers to cut weight on two days and has urged UWW to keep it for 1 day only. Her wrestler too had a sleepless night, going on fast, sitting in sauna etc.

What has UWW said

United World Wrestling (UWW) head Nenad Lalovic said that even though he feels sad about the situation, there’s nothing that can be done because “rules are rules”.

“We have to respect the rules. I’m so sad that what happened to her. She was overweight very small one. But the rules are rules and everything is public. All the athletes are there and it’s impossible to let someone to compete who does not make the weight. “We want athletes to compete in their natural weight. This is when they make best performance,” he said.

Asked if Vinesh would be given a medal due to the fact that she reached the final, Lalovic said that it was impossible.

“Impossible. Because the brackets are changing, everything is changing. And anyway, the rules are rules. Everybody who goes to this, they know they have a second way. I don’t see anything that can be done. The competition continues, and I really don’t see that it is possible,” he said.

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