Mary Kom on managing weight in competitive sport: 'That is my responsibility. I cannot blame anyone'

Mary Kom on managing weight in competitive sport: 'That is my responsibility. I cannot blame anyone'

FP Sports October 4, 2024, 09:35:16 IST

Mary Kom, the mother of four, said that losing weight is an athlete’s responsibility and one cannot blame others for failing, effectively indicating that Vinesh Phogat is to take the blame for Olympics disqualification.

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Mary Kom on managing weight in competitive sport: 'That is my responsibility. I cannot blame anyone'
Mary Kom indicated that Vinesh Phogat is responsible for failing the weigh in at the Paris Olympics. Image: PTI

One of India’s greatest athletes, Mary Kom, has shared her opinion on Vinesh Phogat failing the weigh-in on the day of her gold medal match at the Paris Olympics 2024. Vinesh was disqualified from the Paris Olympics due to being 100 grams overweight and returned home empty-handed despite reaching the 50kg wrestling final.

Mark Kom, who was India’s first boxer to win an Olympic medal (a bronze medal at the London 2012 Olympics) and a former six-time world champion, has a lot of experience in cutting down weight for competitive bouts which she has done successfully multiple times over the years.

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Kom speaks on weight cut process

Mary Kom, the mother of four during an event on Thursday, said that losing weight is an athlete’s responsibility and one cannot blame others for failing to make weight, effectively indicating that Vinesh is to take the blame for her failing at the weigh-in at Paris Olympics.

“I felt so disappointed in the sense that I have also done the same (weight management) for the last so many years. Weight is important, that is my responsibility. I cannot blame anyone,” Kom said.

“I do not want to say this in her case. I am saying this in my case only. If I do not cut the weight properly then how will I play? I am there to win a medal and that is what I think,” she added.

Mary Kom, an amateur boxer, started her career as a Pinweight (46kg) boxer before making a jump to the Flyweight (51kg) category.

Vinesh’s desperate attempt

Coming back to Vinesh. The ace wrestler made a desperate attempt on the night before the gold medal match to lose excess weight including not having food or water, exercising the whole night and even cutting her hair. However, she failed to cut down weight in time.

After disqualification from the Paris Olympics 2024, Vinesh made an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) for a joint silver after becoming the first Indian female wrestler to reach the Olympics final. However, her appeal was rejected by CAS.

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