Vinesh Phogat (right) was disqualified for being overweight in the previous qualifiying event at Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia last month.
Vinesh Phogat (right) was disqualified for being overweight in the previous qualifiying event at Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia last month.
The Indian wrestling contingent were left red-faced for a second time in 15 days after Gurpreet Singh became the latest to be disqualified from an Olympic qualification event for being overweight.
Gurpreet weighed 500gm more than stipulated to be eligible for the Greco-Roman 75kg competition at the ongoing 2nd world qualifying tournament in Istanbul, Turkey, the last chance for an Olympic berth.
At the previous qualifying event in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia last month, Vinesh Phogat was disqualified for being overweight.
“Gurpreet was found overweight by 500gm, so he was disqualified from the competition,” Wrestling Federation of India assistant secretary Vinod Tomar said.
The WFI said Gurpreet’s disqualification has cost India dear as he simply wasted a weight category.
The WFI official said stern action would be taken against him but insisted that the coaches were not to be blamed for the fiasco.
The Indian men’s freestyle and Greco-Roman teams have been training at Tbilisi, Georgia, for almost a month now and the government has spent a lot on this exposure trip.
“Gurpreet has wasted government’s money. He has let the federation as well the country down. So, he faces suspension in all likelihood,” said Tomar.
