WFI President Calls for Action Against Coaches After Vinesh Phogat’s Olympic Disqualification

Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President, Sanjay Singh, has urged the central government to take strict action against the coaches and support staff of Vinesh Phogat following her disqualification from the Paris Olympics. Phogat was disqualified just hours before her historic gold medal bout against Sarah Ann Hildebrandt of the USA after being found 100 grams over the permissible weight limit for the 50kg category.

Singh placed the blame squarely on Phogat’s coaching team. “I don’t think Vinesh is at fault here. She was performing wonderfully, and the entire responsibility lies with her coach and the supporting staff. A probe should be conducted to understand how her weight increased. I urge the central government to take strict action against them,” Singh told PTI.

Despite efforts to secure leniency, Singh’s request to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and United World Wrestling (UWW) for relaxation was denied. “I spoke with IOA and UWW officials and asked for some relaxation when I was informed Vinesh was 100 grams overweight. Unfortunately, this request was not granted. The entire country was expecting a gold medal, but she was disqualified due to her weight. I hope God gives her strength, and the entire nation stands with her,” he added.

Phogat’s coaches and support staff reportedly took extreme measures to help her lose weight, including staying up all night, drinking minimal water, extensive exercise, and even cutting her hair. Despite these efforts, she remained 100 grams over the limit.

In international wrestling competitions, athletes must pass a weigh-in process at the start of each day. For non-medal matches, they have a 30-minute window with unlimited attempts to make weight, but even 1 gram over the limit results in disqualification. Phogat successfully weighed in on Tuesday, allowing her to compete. She secured victories over four-time world champion and Tokyo gold medalist Yui Susaki of Japan, Ukraine’s Oksana Livach, and Yusneilis Guzman Lopez of Cuba to reach the final, becoming the first female Indian wrestler to do so and securing at least a silver medal.

However, due to the UWW rules, her previous results were nullified when she failed the weigh-in for the final, leaving her to return home empty-handed.

The criticism from WFI President Singh underscores the critical role of coaches and support staff in managing athletes’ weight, especially in high-stakes international competitions. The call for government action highlights the seriousness of the oversight and the impact it had on Phogat’s Olympic journey.