In the aftermath of Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification at the Paris Olympics 2024, PT Usha, the President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), has stepped forward to clarify the weight management issue.
Vinesh Phogat was left heartbroken after being disqualified ahead of her gold-medal bout in the freestyle 50kg category. The reason? She was found to be 100 grams overweight during the morning weigh-in, shattering her Olympic dreams and leading her to announce her retirement.
PT Usha’s indirect dig at Vinesh Phogat
PT Usha firmly states that the responsibility for weight management lies squarely with the athlete and their coach. She emphasizes that this responsibility extends to sports like wrestling, weightlifting, boxing, and judo. The IOA-appointed Chief Medical Officer, Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala, and his team should not be held accountable for this aspect.
PT Usha condemns the unacceptable hate directed at the IOA medical team, particularly Dr. Pardiwala. She urges those rushing to judgment to consider all facts before forming conclusions. Each Indian athlete at the Paris 2024 Olympics had their own support team, working tirelessly over the years.
“…the responsibility of weight management of athletes in sport like wrestling, weightlifting, boxing and judo is that of each athlete and his or her coach and NOT that of the IOA-appointed Chief Medical Officer Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala and his team,” Usha said in a statement.
“…the hate directed at the IOA medical team, especially Dr Pardiwala, is unacceptable and worthy of condemnation.” She hoped that those rushing to judge the IOA medical team “would consider all facts before arriving at any conclusions”.
Despite the setback, Vinesh Phogat had scripted history by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the gold medal bout in her category. Her dedication and achievements deserve recognition.
PT Usha highlights that the IOA appointed a medical team primarily to assist in the recovery and injury management of athletes during and after their competition. The weight management aspect falls squarely within the athlete-coach partnership.
“Each Indian athlete in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in such sport had his or her own support team. These support teams have been working with the athletes over so many years,” Usha said.
IOA president PT Usha issued a statement today to clarify that the responsibility of weight management of athletes in sports like wrestling is that of each athlete and his or her coach and NOT that of the IOA.#VineshPhogat #Olympics #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/6PQrooP3TX
— Sportstar (@sportstarweb) August 11, 2024
“The IOA appointed a medical team a couple of months ago, primarily as a team that would assist in the recovery and injury management of athletes during and after their competition. This team was also designed to support athletes who did not have their own team of nutritionists and physiotherapists.”
Also Read: USA Edges China to Top Medal Table at Paris Olympics, India finishes at 71st spot
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