Vinesh Phogat’s Olympic Disqualification: Former Wrestler Kripa Shankar Blames WFI
Former Indian wrestler Kripa Shankar has expressed his disappointment over Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification from the Paris Olympics 2024 due to being overweight. Vinesh, who was set to compete in the gold medal match on Wednesday, was disqualified for being a few grams overweight on the morning of her 50kg bout.
Shankar, a former Commonwealth Games bronze medalist, believes that the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) is to blame for not implementing the practice of taking weights twice during national events. He claims that Vinesh did not have any prior experience of giving her weight twice during an event.
“I don’t think Vinesh ever had the experience of going for weigh-ins twice. Even in the national tournaments, there is no such criteria of taking the weights of the wrestlers twice,” Shankar told NDTV. “I had once asked the Indian wrestling body not to implement half-finished rules, but they suspended me for six years.”
Shankar also criticized the WFI for prioritizing cost-cutting over providing wrestlers with the necessary ecosystem to succeed. “I feel that the wrestling body wants to avoid extra expenditure by organizing a one-day tournament. By doing so, you are not giving the wrestlers the right ecosystem to wrestle,” he said.
According to the new rules, wrestlers must meet the weight limit on both days of competition. Vinesh was eligible to compete on Day 1 after she made the weight. However, she was found to be a kilogram overweight on Tuesday night and managed to reduce 900 grams overnight. Despite not sleeping or eating, she was unable to shed the remaining 100 grams of extra weight.
If a wrestler is found overweight, they have 25 minutes to reduce it through methods such as cycling, running, or sauna. Shankar believes that reducing weight overnight is not an easy task.
“Giving weight is such an important practice in wrestling. This might be a small thing for many, but this has cost us big time (with Vinesh’s disqualification),” Shankar said.
Vinesh’s disqualification has sparked outrage among Indian wrestling fans and raised questions about the WFI’s handling of the situation. Shankar’s comments have added fuel to the fire, highlighting the need for better support and infrastructure for Indian wrestlers.
