Vijender Singh Warns Vinesh Phogat Against Making Critical Mistake, Suspects Sabotage

Indian boxing veteran Vijender Singh has claimed that wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification from the Olympics final might be a result of subversion as top athletes like her are knowledgeable about the methods of reducing weight before major competitions. Vijender, who is India’s inaugural and sole male boxer to have clinched an Olympic medal, possesses expertise in maintaining weight prior to significant matches and he expressed astonishment that Vinesh was 100gm over the required weight at the weigh-in before an Olympic final. “I believe it could be subversion. 100gm, it’s unbelievable. We athletes can shed 5 to 6kg overnight. It is challenging no doubt but we understand how to manage our hunger, thirst, and exertion to the limit,” the middle-weight (75kg) boxer conveyed to PTI.

“And when I mention subversion I am referring to individuals who are displeased to witness India’s rise as a sporting nation. This young woman has encountered numerous challenges, it is heartbreaking to witness. What more could she have accomplished? What other trial?” he pondered.

Vinesh was at the forefront of a prolonged protest against former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has been accused of sexual harassment and coercion by female wrestlers. She had endured police detention, nights on the streets and a tumultuous qualification process before reaching this stage.

The standout moment of her exceptional performance at the Olympics was the initial victory over defending champion Yui Susaki of Japan who arrived at the competition undefeated in her international career.

“I can’t fathom that Vinesh would commit an error like this. She has been a top athlete for so long that there must be more to it. I am concerned for her, I hope she is in good health. What has occurred is not acceptable at all,” stated Vijender, a pioneer in Indian boxing.

Athletes engaging in contact sports, where matches are conducted based on weight classes, have to endure the arduous process of staying within their designated divisions.

This process entails enduring hunger for extended periods, abstaining from even liquids and in certain desperate situations, remaining bundled up in layers of blankets to sweat out the excess weight.

“There have been instances when I have continuously spit out saliva so that nothing is ingested, you know. This extreme regimen is unimaginable. We wear special Sauna suits that resemble a furnace and there are occasions when we run while wearing them to shed weight,” he elucidated.

It is an exceptional regimen that exacts a physical and mental toll on athletes and in 2018, six-time world champion female boxer M C Mary Kom, in an interaction with PTI, disclosed how she shed 2kg in a span of four hours.

Mary Kom had arrived in Poland for a tournament, where she subsequently secured her third gold of that year. However, hours before she was scheduled to step into the ring, she had to undergo the strenuous process of reducing weight to be eligible to compete.

“We landed in Poland around 3-3:30 in the morning and the general weigh-in was at around 7:30am. I was a couple of kilograms above 48kg, the category I compete in, at that juncture,” she recounted.

“So, I had approximately four hours to shed that or I would have been disqualified for exceeding the weight limit during the general weigh-in. But I engaged in skipping for an hour continuously and just like that, I was prepared.

“Fortunately, the flight we traveled in was nearly vacant so I could rest with my legs stretched out, ensuring that I was not stiff upon arrival. Otherwise, I do not know how I would have been able to compete,” she divulged.