What if…? No, I’m not talking about the series, but the question that comes to the mind of athletes (and their fans) who come agonizingly close to glory. The Indian contingent has had a fair share of what-ifs in Paris, but none have been bigger than Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification from the women’s 50kg freestyle wrestling competition. This shocking (and within the rules) incident has united the wrestling world with an outpouring of sympathy, solidarity, and support for a wrestler who (controversially) missed a shot at gold by 100 grams (0.22 lbs). London gold medalist Jordan Burroughs’s series of X posts showcased his support for Phogat and called for her to get silver, but he presented another What If. What if the rules were different? 

Jordan Burroughs didn’t qualify for Paris, but his five-point suggestion could be one of the major talking points following Phogat’s disqualification. While some of these are possible, it doesn’t seem that a few points (or any) would be considered, especially with UWW President Nenad Lalovic doubling down on the rules. He said, “We have to respect the rules… She was overweight, even though by a small margin, but rules are rules.” 

One of Jordan Burroughs’s points is a 1kg (2.2 lbs) allowance on day 2. What if this happens? Now this would be unprecedented in combat sports at the Olympics, with the competition having the amount of kgs as part of the name. Weight tolerance in wrestling, though, is part of the deal at the World Cup and other International Tournaments with UWW rules permitting it to be up to 2kg (4.4 lbs).

The 2kg allowance in itself is quite rare in combat sports, especially where titles and medals are up for grabs. Away from the Olympics, the UFC has a 1 lb allowance in its competition for non-title bouts. In Olympic wrestling, three second-day bouts are for a medal, which would be considered the equivalent of title bouts. That’s not all; Burroughs has more pointers to make fans ponder over the what if… 

He called for a delay of the weigh-in by two hours. This could be an easier fix, as wrestlers would get that extra bit of time to cut down after competing into the evening on day 1. At 8:30 am on August 7, Vinesh Phogat weighed in for her match against Sarah Hildebrandt, which was scheduled for after 8:00 pm local time. While the weigh-ins happening early could work for the repechage round wrestlers, the gold medal match combatants could do with some leeway considering that they had more fights than all but 2 of the repechage wrestlers.

The idea of delaying the weigh-in can also be counterproductive. This is because wrestling made the shift from a one-day to a two-day competition in 2017 to prevent competitors from severe weight-cutting. With the event spaced over two days, wrestlers would (need to) compete at or nearer to their natural weight to comply with the stringent rules. The extra two-hour buffer, which Jordan Burroughs proposes, would give wrestlers from a higher weight class the time to cut and regain weight and an advantage on the mat. This is something Lalovic claimed is not good for wrestlers’ health, which was rather similar to his comments from 2017.

Regarding the Phogat situation and weight cuts, Lalovic said, “We should be more strict on that because we have a problem that you are living in this moment. The wrestlers are losing too much weight and it’s not good for their health. Many have seen their interest at the moment but they don’t see what happens in 20-30 years. We want athletes to compete in their natural weight.” The comment echoed his words from 2017, where he had said, “I also believe these new rules will also encourage healthier wrestlers.”

In Vinesh Phogat’s case itself, she moved to a higher category after returning to the sport following her knee injury in 2016. The Indian fought at 48kg (105.8 lbs) in Rio and came back at 50kg (110.2 lbs) for the 2018 Commonwealth and Asian Games. Although the latter two events took place post the 2017 shift, they were single-day competitions. The Indian moved up to 53kg (116.8 lbs) for the 2019 World Championships and the Tokyo Olympics (the 48kg category was not present in Tokyo. Phogat did not opt for the lowest available category at the Games), but needed to drop to 50 if she wanted to compete in Paris. This is because Antim Panghal had already secured the quota at 53kg.

Vinesh Phogat avoided potentially having to make a drastic weight cut on day 2 when she was in her mid-20s. Now, at 29, the prospect of a daunting cut to 50kg for two consecutive days would have been even more taxing. Per reports, the serious weight cut saw the Indian skip meals, exercise through the night, sweat, cut her hair, and even draw out blood. These efforts led to her getting hospitalized as a precaution, which may only add weight to the UWW President’s point. 

Now, even if the two-hour leeway cannot be done with weigh-ins happening at the designated time, i.e., the morning of the fight, the UWW decision to completely disqualify a wrestler is seeing plenty of angst, as Vinesh Phogat lost at least a guaranteed silver and has been classified with a 16th placed finish. What if wrestlers can only be DQed from day 2?

Phogat was well within the rules on day 1 and earned her spot in the final on the back of wins over Yui Susaki (3-2), Oksana Livach (7-5), and Yusneylys Guzman (5-0). All three women have benefited from Wednesday morning’s events, with Cuba’s Guzman advancing to the final and Susaki vs. Livach being upgraded from repechage round 1 to a bronze medal match. In Guzman’s case, a wrestler beaten by another who was at the proper weight will get a shot at gold for what is probably a first in women’s freestyle at the Olympics. To remedy this, Burroughs called for the finalists’ medals to be secured and only the gold to be off-limits for the wrestler who does not make weight. 

Jordan Burroughs is no stranger to weight cuts, with him even having a nervy moment on the scale at Final X: Lincoln in 2019. However, even he would be aware that wrestlers and their camps know the rules and comply. As for Vinesh Phogat, the Indian PM requested the IOA explore options and file a protest if it would help. Based on the UWW’s ‘rules are rules’ stance, their decision was irreversible. So what’s next? 

Phogat’s uncle, Mahavir Singh Phogat, who was shattered at the news from Paris, simply hinted at preparation for LA. However, that is four years away, and a much older Vinesh will have to overcome numerous rising stars to simply secure the quota. On the flip side, she can use the time well, move back up, and earn a berth near her natural weight class. The 29-year-old’s first reaction to the day’s events was to tell her coach, “It’s hard luck that we missed the medal, but it is part of the game.'” 

Burroughs’s call (from his series of tweets) for an increase in weight classes may see some traction as there have been just 6 divisions for the past three editions, with no new inclusions since the Rio Games (welterweight and light heavyweight). The program in Los Angeles may see some additions, but we do not know that as of right now. However, it seems unlikely that any of his other points would be taken up by the powers that matter.

What are your thoughts on Jordan Burroughs’s call for changes to the wrestling program? Does he have a point, or do you feel today’s incident will see more wrestlers fight closer to their own weight?

Update: Vinesh Phogat has filed a CAS appeal to receive a silver medal.