“Thrown Under The Bus”: Criticism Over PT Usha's Remarks On Phogat
The President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), PT Usha, on Sunday made a pointed statement where she stated that the responsibility of weight management lies solely on the athlete and their coach.
Her statement comes amidst a controversy surrounding Phogat’s disqualification after she weighed 100 grams over the required criteria, costing her a shot at a gold medal at the Olympics.
Read Also: Vinesh Phogat’s Three-Hour Hearing At Sports Court Concludes
Defending the IOA, Usha called the criticism towards its medical team and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala as “unacceptable and worthy of condemnation.”
Following Phogat’s disqualification, a blame game ensued with many pointing fingers at the IOA and Dr. Pardiwala and his team for their negligence. Former IOA chief Narendra Batra suggested that her diet might have been the reason behind her weight gain.
In a statement, Usha said, “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.”
She also added that before blaming the IOA medical team, she hoped people would “consider all facts before arriving at any conclusions.”
Her remarks have led to an online backlash, with many calling her statements “shameful” amid calls for resignation.
Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Priyanka Chaturvedi accused the IOA of throwing Phogat “under the bus,” and shifting the blame towards the athletes.
“Wow. So IOA totally washes its hands off any responsibility vis a vis Indian athletes’ interest. Vinesh Phogat has truly been denied justice and thrown under the bus, shame on IOA for releasing this statement while very well knowing Phogat’s case for silver is being deliberated,” said Chaturvedi on an X post.
Referring to the wrestler protests against Brij Bhushan Singh, she further added, “The statement is a reminder of how PT Usha ji went to Jantar Mantar and told the wrestlers they were bringing a bad name for India by protesting for justice against sexual harassment. What a letdown she has been as the head of IOA.”
The statement is a reminder of how PT Usha ji went to Jantar Mantar and told the wrestlers they were bringing a bad name for India by protesting for justice against sexual harassment. What a letdown she has been as the head of IOA
— Priyanka Chaturvedi🇮🇳 (@priyankac19) August 12, 2024
The 2022 World Championships bronze medallist became the first-ever Indian woman wrestler to make it to an Olympics final.
Phogat appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), demanding to be awarded a shared silver medal with Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez. Notably, the Indian wrestler had defeated Lopez, but following her disqualification, Lopez was promoted to the final.
Read Also: Vinesh Phogat Disqualification: What Happened In Paris
After releasing a statement announcing the ruling of the court on Saturday, the court has postponed the date to August 13.
Meanwhile, a day after her disqualification, the 29-year-old wrestler announced her retirement.
