Vinesh Phogat's Disqualification at Paris Olympics: Understanding the Weigh-In Process and Weight Cutting Challenges

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in News?
• The process of Olympic wrestling weigh-ins
• Weigh-in specifics
• Weight cut
• The case of Vinesh Phogat

Why in News?

Vinesh Phogat's pursuit of a gold medal at the Paris Olympics ended unexpectedly when she failed to meet the weight requirement for her women's 50kg wrestling final. 

Weighing in at just over 100 grams above the limit, she also lost her chance at a confirmed silver medal. 

Despite weighing 49.9kg on the morning of August 6 and securing three consecutive victories, including a win over defending champion Yui Susaki, Vinesh gained weight during the day, resulting in her disqualification before the final bout.

The process of Olympic wrestling weigh-ins

Weigh-in specifics

• About
  • Weigh-ins take place in the morning for any wrestlers competing that day. 
  • The tournament for each weight class is contested over a two-day span. Hence, any wrestlers that make the finals or the repechage will have to make weight on both days.
• First weigh-in
  • During the first weigh-in, wrestlers will have 30 minutes to make weight. Contestants are weighed with their singlets, but nothing else. 
  • Athletes will also be examined to make sure they have no signs of any contagious disease and that their fingernails are cut very short.
• During second day
  • For any wrestlers competing on the second day, the weigh-in will last 15 minutes. 
  • This is a non-negotiable window during which the wrestler must make the required weight or risk disqualification.
• Weight tolerance in Olympics
  • No more weight tolerance will be allowed for the second weigh-in.
  • The Olympics follow a strict weight restriction without the 2kg weigh in tolerance.
    • Two kilograms weight tolerance is allowed for World Cup and for the International Tournaments (Except UWW Ranking Events).
• Was a two-day weigh-in always the rule?
  • No. In 2017, the UWW changed the format of Olympic wrestling.
    • The Rio Olympics was the last time when wrestling was conducted as a single day event in a major international tournament.
•  So instead of the competition in a weight category being conducted all in a day, they moved to a two-day system. 
• This was done so that athletes wouldn’t lose a huge amount of weight on one day and compete.

Weight cut

• About
  • In combat sports such as wrestling, boxing, and mixed martial arts, athletes compete in specific weight categories to ensure fair competition. 
  • These categories have strict rules that prevent athletes from participating if they exceed the designated weight limit. 
  • To meet these requirements, some athletes engage in a practice known as "weight cutting," where they rapidly lose a set amount of weight just before the competition. 
  • This is done through various methods such as dehydration, restrictive dieting, and intense physical activity. 
  • While weight cutting is common, it can pose significant health risks and controversies surrounding its safety and fairness continue to be debated in the sports community.
• How do wrestlers cut weight?
  • In many sports with weight categories, athletes often cut weight to fit into a lower category, typically reducing up to 10% of their body mass before major events. 
  • The most challenging period is the 24-48 hours before the competition, where athletes must shed the final, smallest margins of weight. 
  • After meeting the weight requirements and completing the weigh-in, athletes rehydrate and eat to regain energy and recover the fluids and body mass lost. 
  • Once the competition is over, they often start the weight-cutting cycle again for the next event.

The case of Vinesh Phogat

• About
  • Vinesh has always struggled to cut weight for the 50kg category. 
  • She had been participating in the 53 kg category until recently before she made the switch to 50 kg. The switch was made at the trials in NIS, Patiala. 
  • Phogat’s usual weight is around 55-56 kg, which she has to cut to 50 kg on the days of competition. 
  • Keeping her body weight below 55-56 kg has proved to be quite tough as there isn’t much more weight to cut and cutting water weight by sweating out has proven to be extremely challenging for the Indian wrestler.
• Could Vinesh have salvaged a medal if she was injured?
  • According to UWW, if an athlete is injured during the first day, he/she doesn’t have to attend the second weigh-in and will keep his/her results. 
    • In Vinesh’s case, she would have got the silver medal.
  • But if an athlete is injured after Day 1 of the competition, they have to attend the second weigh-in.
• Why was she disqualified - Concerned Rules
  • If an athlete does not attend or fails the weigh-in (the 1st or the 2nd weigh-in), he will be eliminated from the competition and ranked last, without rank. 
  • If an athlete is injured during the first day, he doesn’t have to attend the second weigh-in and will keep his results.

Q.1. What is United World Wrestling (UWW)?

United World Wrestling (UWW) is the international governing body for the sport of wrestling, overseeing all wrestling styles, including freestyle, Greco-Roman, and women's wrestling. Founded in 1912, it establishes rules, organizes competitions like the World Championships and the Olympics, and promotes the sport globally.

Q.2. What is What is Olympics?

The Olympics are a global multi-sport event featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate. Held every four years, the Games are organized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and aim to promote peace, unity, and excellence through sports.

Source: Explained: Why Vinesh Phogat failed weigh-in at Paris Olympics; why and how wrestlers cut weight| Olympics | Sport Star