Weigh-Ins in Sports

The 2024 Paris Olympics were rife with controversy, whether it be the Imane Khelif transgender allegations or the Court of Arbitration for Sport stripping gymnast Jordan Chiles of her bronze medal. Another unfortunate incident happened to Vinesh Phogat, one of India’s most accomplished wrestlers. The issue arose when Phogat, who was competing in the 50 kg category, failed to meet the weight cutoff by a mere 100 grams on the morning before the final, leading to her disqualification. Phogat had previously fought her way to the final by defeating the undefeated Japanese wrestler Yui Susaki in a shocking upset. She was set to face the USA’s Sarah Hilderbrant in the final round before exceeding the weight limit at the weigh-in on the morning of the bout. Phogat’s guaranteed silver medal was promptly stripped, and she was placed at the bottom of the standings.

After her disqualification, Phogat took to social media to announce her retirement from the sport, as this was one heartbreak too many after her freak tournament-ending injuries at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. The aftermath of the incident sparked criticism and raised questions about the role of her coaching and nutrition team. Sanjay Singh, the president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), emphasized the mistakes made by her support staff and hinted at potential legal action against those involved. 

So, how was Vinesh Phogat able to compete in the 50 kg category in the first place? Although her normal body weight is over 50 kg, she underwent a rigorous process known as weight cutting by severely restricting her food and water intake in the weeks leading up to the tournament. This was so that she could compete in a lower weight category and face wrestlers weaker than her. However, weight fluctuation left her weighing in at 52.7 kg on the night before the final bout. Her support team forbade her from any more food or water intake and put her on the cycling machine in a sweatsuit for the whole night. Early in the morning, she took a trip to the sauna and got back on the treadmill but to no avail. Even cutting her hair left her an excruciating 100 grams above the limit. Though common, weight cutting is filled with health risks, including severe dehydration and heatstroke. Phogat’s case, though unfortunate, is not unique. Many combat athletes resort to such measures to gain a competitive advantage by rehydrating after weigh-ins, allowing them to enter matches at a much higher weight than their opponents. Critics argue that this practice is unfair and renders weight-based competitions useless.

This incident has reignited the debates about the rules and ethics surrounding weight-cutting and weigh-ins in weight-based sports like wrestling and boxing. Should weight-cutting even be allowed, and if so, what is a reasonable margin of error for weigh-in readings?