PT Usha Clarifies: Weight Management Is Athlete’s Job

PT Usha, President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), has clarified that weight management falls under the athlete and their coach’s responsibility, not the IOA’s medical team. This statement follows the recent controversy surrounding wrestler Vinesh Phogat, who was disqualified for being slightly overweight.

Vinesh Phogat, who had been preparing for the gold medal bout in freestyle wrestling at the Paris 2024 Olympics, was disqualified due to being 100 grams over the weight limit. This disqualification occurred during the morning weigh-in, right before the final match, which led to an uproar and accusations directed at the IOA’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala, and his team.

PT Usha condemned the criticism aimed at the IOA medical team, emphasizing that the responsibility for weight management rests with athletes and their coaches. She stated, “The hate directed at the IOA medical team, especially Dr. Pardiwala, is unacceptable and worthy of condemnation.” Usha urged critics to consider all facts before making judgments.

The controversy has sparked significant backlash, including discussions in Parliament, with some questioning the efficiency of the medical team. Former IOA chief Narendra Batra suggested that Vinesh’s diet might have contributed to her disqualification. Usha refuted these claims, asserting that weight management is a personal responsibility for each athlete and their support team.

Vinesh Phogat, who made history as the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the gold medal bout, saw her Olympic dreams crushed by this weigh-in mishap. Despite efforts to cut weight, including trimming her hair, she remained over the limit. She has since appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) for a joint silver medal with Cuban wrestler Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, who advanced to the final following Vinesh’s disqualification. The CAS decision is expected on August 13.

The IOA had appointed a medical team to assist athletes with recovery and injury management, not specifically for weight management. This team was designed to support those without personal nutritionists or physiotherapists.

PT Usha’s statement aims to set the record straight and highlight that athletes and their coaches must manage their weight to avoid such controversies in the future.

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