Recent events at the Paris Olympics have cast a shadow over India’s wrestling contingent. Aman Sehrawat, who secured India’s first wrestling medal in Paris with a bronze in the men’s 57kg category, had to lose nearly five kilos in just 10 hours before his medal bout.
More concerning is the case of Antim Panghal, who reportedly took extreme measures to make weight for her competition. Panghal, who replaced Vinesh Phogat in the women’s 53kg freestyle category, suffered a 0-10 loss in her Olympic debut against Turkey’s Zeynep Yetgil.
According to a report, Panghal starved herself for 48 hours before the weigh-in, consuming only minimal water. This drastic approach left her weak and dehydrated for her opening bout. Panghal’s sister and dietician, Nisha, was unable to assist her as she wasn’t officially part of the Indian contingent and couldn’t enter the Olympic village.
Adding to the team’s woes, Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the women’s 50kg freestyle final for being 100 grams overweight. This incident denied India a potential medal and led to Phogat initially announcing her retirement. However, she has since appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) for a joint silver medal, with support from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).
These incidents highlight the intense pressure and challenges faced by wrestlers in managing their weight for competition, often resorting to extreme measures that can impact their performance and health.
