India’s Olympic contingent are devastated after the female wrestler Vinesh Phogat was disqualified before her gold medal match for not making the weight despite cutting off her hair off.
Yeah as much as this sucks, and it really really sucks, I don’t think we can really claim that it’s bullshit or unfair. Every athlete has to conform to these standards, and they are very well known ahead of time.
She weighed a couple kilos over before this. In order to try and meet the minimum weight, she didn’t drink water for a day while exercising intensely to sweat a lot. She was so dehydrated that they gave her IV fluids after she failed the weigh-in. The weight category she tried to compete in was way too low for her.
But she weighed in every other day too so she was the correct weight every day so far. One day she’s 100g over and she loses her chance for a gold medal. That’s harsh AF.
she probably did. At that level, they want to be just as close to the restriction as possible while still being under. I can easily lose a kilo or two taking my morning piss.
She did. She was 2kg over the day before and went on an extreme dehydration and exercise protocol to try to drop down. She missed the cutoff but was so badly dehydrated that she needed IV fluids.
or if you’re rounding to the nearest kg, then 50.49 kg becomes the new restriction. except what if it was 50.51? it’s just 2 grams more. what’s the big deal?
they’re in the lowest weight class, under 50kg. the next is 50-53 kg.
Doesn’t really matter where you put the line. it’s gotta go somewhere and at that level, they’re always going to be gaming the system to get an advantage, and any sport with a weight class, that means doing things to temporarily drop weight for the weigh in ceremony. (not eating, dehydrating yourself. getting as naked as you can without the judge eyeing you.)
She weighted 2 kilos more than allowed the day before, putting her over 50, even almost making it to 53 which would be 2 weight classes over.
They put her in dehydration, diet, “trash bag” running to get all sweat out, a Sauna in the morning of the weight-in (but she wasn’t sweating anymore), they removed blood from her, and as a last measure, cut her hair.
She failed.
She needed IV injections right after the moment of the weight-in by the committee. She then was hospitalized and remains hospitalized. It seems that luckily she is fine.
Disqualification is there to prevent countries pushing their athletes through these ordeals, which have long-term consequences on their health.
There’s a weight limit, and she was over it.
Is it bullshit if a high jumper just skims the bar and it falls? Or a 100m runner loses by 0.01 seconds?
This is all about the best of the best competing on a strictly defined ruleset.
Yeah as much as this sucks, and it really really sucks, I don’t think we can really claim that it’s bullshit or unfair. Every athlete has to conform to these standards, and they are very well known ahead of time.
It’s 100 grams. If it was a kilogram, I’d get it. Or even over 500 grams if they want to round up.
She weighed a couple kilos over before this. In order to try and meet the minimum weight, she didn’t drink water for a day while exercising intensely to sweat a lot. She was so dehydrated that they gave her IV fluids after she failed the weigh-in. The weight category she tried to compete in was way too low for her.
But she weighed in every other day too so she was the correct weight every day so far. One day she’s 100g over and she loses her chance for a gold medal. That’s harsh AF.
The rules are known to all competitors. It must remain harsh in order to be as fair as possible.
I’m afraid that the Olympics are one place you have to be strict. You can’t trust people to be honest or fair
I think the Olympics can trust their own scales. At least I would hope so.
I’m surprised she didn’t avoid food or water for a bit. Maybe they miscalculated what the final weight would be
She did. If you read the article they had to give her IV fluids after failing to qualify because she was dehydrated.
I’m wondering if she just cut her hair, or shaved her head completely.
Should have gone all-in and bled out 100ml.
She did too. Still wasn’t enough.
she probably did. At that level, they want to be just as close to the restriction as possible while still being under. I can easily lose a kilo or two taking my morning piss.
She did. She was 2kg over the day before and went on an extreme dehydration and exercise protocol to try to drop down. She missed the cutoff but was so badly dehydrated that she needed IV fluids.
then the new weight becomes 50.1kg.
or if you’re rounding to the nearest kg, then 50.49 kg becomes the new restriction. except what if it was 50.51? it’s just 2 grams more. what’s the big deal?
I thought the next weight class was one kilogram higher. Is it not?
they’re in the lowest weight class, under 50kg. the next is 50-53 kg.
Doesn’t really matter where you put the line. it’s gotta go somewhere and at that level, they’re always going to be gaming the system to get an advantage, and any sport with a weight class, that means doing things to temporarily drop weight for the weigh in ceremony. (not eating, dehydrating yourself. getting as naked as you can without the judge eyeing you.)
That’s a 20 gram difference.
Heck, 5 more kg is just a hand full of grams.
???
She weighted 2 kilos more than allowed the day before, putting her over 50, even almost making it to 53 which would be 2 weight classes over.
They put her in dehydration, diet, “trash bag” running to get all sweat out, a Sauna in the morning of the weight-in (but she wasn’t sweating anymore), they removed blood from her, and as a last measure, cut her hair.
She failed.
She needed IV injections right after the moment of the weight-in by the committee. She then was hospitalized and remains hospitalized. It seems that luckily she is fine.
Disqualification is there to prevent countries pushing their athletes through these ordeals, which have long-term consequences on their health.