According to PT Usha, heading the Indian Olympic Association, their Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala, appointed by IOA, cannot be held responsible for the disqualification of wrestler Vinesh Phogat from the women's 50 kg final at the Paris Olympics. She says the onus is on the coach and supporting staff of the athlete.
In a statement, IOA has clarified on Sunday that weight management in sports like wrestling, weightlifting, boxing, and judo is the personal matter of an athlete and their personal coaching staff.
Of these, the IOA medical team, consisting of Dr. Pardiwala and his colleagues, had been appointed a few months before the games and were, in essence assigned, the task of helping athletes recover from injury and injury management. She continued stating that the IOA Medical Team was cobbled together in a bid to "help the athletes who don't have their own dieticians, nutritionists and physiotherapists.".
"The IOA's medical team was established to aid in recovery and injury management and to support athletes who do not have the backing of a nutritionist or physiotherapist of their own. The criticism aimed at Dr Pardiwala and the IOA medical team is unwarranted and unacceptable. It is imperative that those quick to judge the IOA medical team consider all relevant information before forming an opinion," it said.
Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from contention for the final after she exceeded her weight limit in the 50kg wrestling category, thus missing the chance to contest for gold. She has appealed against the disqualification to CAS and is fighting for a joint silver medal in the 50kg.
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