'Player, coach responsible...': PT Usha defends IOA medical team amid row over Vinesh Phogat's weight

On the eve of a crucial verdict that could determine if Vinesh Phogat gets a medal after all, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha made a pointed statement: the responsibility for weight management lies squarely with the athlete and their coach. 

The stance comes in the wake of a heated controversy surrounding Phogat's disqualification due to being 100 grams overweight, a mistake that cost her a shot at Olympic gold.

Phogat, who made history by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the gold medal bout in her category, was left devastated when she was disqualified from the freestyle 50kg event. Despite desperate last-minute attempts, including cutting her hair, Phogat could not meet the weight requirement during the morning weigh-in. 

The disqualification not only dashed her Olympic dreams but also sparked widespread criticism, with many pointing fingers at the IOA’s medical team, particularly Chief Medical Officer Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala.

Usha was unequivocal in her response. "The responsibility of weight management in sports like wrestling, weightlifting, boxing, and judo falls entirely on the athlete and their coach," she said, emphasizing that the IOA-appointed medical team’s role was limited to recovery and injury management, not weight control. She condemned the backlash against Dr. Pardiwala and his team as "unacceptable" and urged critics to consider all facts before drawing conclusions.

The uproar over Phogat’s disqualification reached the Indian Parliament, with accusations of negligence leveled at the IOA’s medical staff. Former IOA chief Narendra Batra hinted that Phogat’s diet could have played a role in her failure to make weight, further fueling the controversy.

Phogat has since taken her case to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), seeking a joint silver medal with Cuban wrestler Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, who was promoted to the final after Phogat’s disqualification.