 "PT Usha puts onus of meeting weights on athlete, personal support staff in defence of IOA medical team")
Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha responded to the deluge of criticism directed towards the Indian contingent’s medical team following wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s weigh-in fiasco, saying the responsibility of managing one’s weight lies primarily with the athlete and her personal suppport staff.
Paris Olympics: News, schedule, medals tally and more
Sprint legend Usha added that the attack that the medical team, especially Chief Medical Officer Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala, has been facing following the incident is ”unacceptable and worthy of condemnation.”
Vinesh was disqualified from the women's 50kg event for being overweight by a mere 100 grams, following which the heartbroken wrestler announced her retirement from the sport . The 29-year-old had stormed into the final with three wins in as many bouts, halting Tokyo 2020 champion Yui Susaki’s 82-match winning streak along the way, and was set to challenge for India’s first ever wrestling gold at the Olympics.
The incident started a blame game, also leading to an uproar in the Parliament, with some sections attacking Dr Pardiwala and his team for negligence with former IOA chief Narendra Batra indicating that Vinesh’s diet might have had something to do with her disqualification.
”…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.”
Read | Vinesh 'should take the blame too' for disqualification from Paris Olympics, says Nehwal
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More ShortsUsha hoped that those rushing to judge the IOA medical team ”would consider all facts before arriving at any conclusions”.
Vinesh had scripted history by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the gold medal bout in her category on Tuesday night. But her post-participation weight was found to have increased and despite all measures, which included cutting off Vinesh’s hair, she was found to be 100gm extra during the morning weigh-in.
”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.
”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.”
Read | People shouldn't forget Vinesh's heroics even if she doesn't get a medal, says Chopra
Vinesh has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), demanding that she be awarded a joint silver medal with Cuban wrestler Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, who had lost to the Indian but was later promoted to the final following the Haryana wrestler’s disqualification.
American Sarah Hildebrandt won the gold after defeating Lopez in the title clash.
The decision on Vinesh’s appeal is expected to come on 13 August .
With PTI inputs
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