Forced to cut weight alone: MMA fighter Varun Sanyal breaks silence after withdrawal
Varun Sanyal came to the Asian Games expecting to make his cage debut. Instead, the Indian MMA fighter’s campaign ended before he could compete after he passed out in a sauna while attempting to make the 77kg limit.
Sanyal was added to the Indian squad with barely two weeks to prepare. He dealt with accommodation issues, and with the Indian MMA contingent traveling without support staff, he was left to manage the weight on his own.
ASIAN GAMES 2026 UPDATE 21 SEPTEMBER
On Monday, Sanyal spoke about the incident, calling his decision to lose weight in itself “stupid”, but said he had little choice.
“I came here two weeks in advance. I found out quite late. Apparently I had a lot of problems with accommodation and then I was all alone to lose weight. In retrospect, it was quite stupid of me,” Sanyal told PTI.
“I had no choice but to do it alone. That’s a question, to be honest, I’d like the public to ask, why was I alone?”
BLACKOUT
Sanyal was trying to lose weight when he became exhausted and dehydrated during a sauna session at his cruise ship accommodation on Sunday. passed out and was found by an athlete from Nepal who woke him up.
“Fortunately, an athlete from Nepal found him in this condition and woke him up. Varun called me and we took him to the hospital,” MMA Sports Federation of India president Nikhil Kunder told PTI.
“There was nothing to worry about. He was brought back to the cruise ship around 3:00 a.m. He was hydrated, the doctors here are taking care of him. He is stable, talking and fine,” he added.
The Indian Olympic Association said Sanyal suffered “generalized convulsions and body aches while in the sauna at his cruise ship accommodation last evening”.
“He underwent a medical examination and preventive blood tests, which were normal. Despite rest, he did not feel fully fit to participate in combat sports the next morning. After consulting his coach, he withdrew due to medical reasons,” the IOA said.
Sanyal was therefore declared medically unfit and withdrew without competing in the Asian Games.
LATE WITHDRAWAL
Sanyal’s selection came after a long period of uncertainty.
He qualified for the Asian Games in January, but said the uncertainty surrounding the qualification process led him to focus on his professional career. He was preparing to fight professionally when he was finally told he had been selected.
Another athlete put his name forward and went through the qualification process in Uzbekistan in May, but did not place high enough in Asia. Sanyal, who was ranked fourth in Asia, was finally included in the Indian team on 2 September.
“I had already qualified for the Asian Games in January. But there was a lot of uncertainty around the qualification process. So I decided to shift my focus to my professional career. And I didn’t want the slot to be empty,” Sanyal said.
“I was preparing for a professional cage match. And then, after two weeks, I found out my name was announced. So here I am.”
The late call-up left Sanyal little time to prepare for the 77kg category. He also said he had problems with accommodation after arriving at the games.
The Indian MMA team had no support staff in Japan.
WHY CAN CUTTING BE DANGEROUS?
Weight gain is a routine part of combat sports, but rapid weight loss can come with significant health risks.
Fighters often compete below their natural body weight and use the pre-fight period to reach their desired limit. The process can begin gradually with exercise, dietary changes, and fasting.
As the weight approaches, some fighters resort to more aggressive methods. Fluid restriction and deliberate dehydration can quickly reduce body weight, while saunas and intense sweating are also used to shed water. Combat sports also used more extreme practices such as laxatives, diuretics and vomiting.
The risks increase when you lose a lot of weight quickly, especially through dehydration. Severe dehydration can affect blood pressure, kidney function, and the body’s ability to regulate temperature. In extreme cases, it can lead to dizziness, collapse and loss of consciousness.
Sanyal’s blackout came during one such attempt to lose weight through sauna sessions.
WHY WAS HE ALONE?
This is the question raised by Sanyal’s account.
The Asian Games MMA team consisted of Sanyal and Suchika Tariyal, who won bronze in the women’s 60kg traditional category. The team was not accompanied by any support staff.
Sanyal said he was left to manage his weight loss on his own and specifically asked why that was.
“I had no choice but to do it alone. That’s a question, to be honest, I’d like the public to ask, why was I alone?” he said.
His account leaves several questions regarding the circumstances of the weight loss. Who was responsible for watching him? What medical support was available? Was the sauna supervised? And how was Sanyal expected to prepare for the tough weight cut after being called up just two weeks before the Games?
Available accounts show that Sanyal was treated, underwent medical tests and was later disqualified from the competition after the power failure. They don’t explain why he was trying to lose weight without dedicated support.
‘I’m disappointed’
Sanyal said he was disappointed to miss the opportunity to compete.
“Yes, absolutely, I’m disappointed. I wanted to take part and show my skills. I have big ambitions for myself in this sport and I’ve backed myself to do well,” he said.
He then pointed to Tariyal’s bronze medal and the wider challenges facing the federation.
“I think instead of focusing on what could happen, we’re focusing on what happened. And despite all the challenges the federation has faced over the last year, we won a medal, that’s huge.”
“So yeah, rather than disappointed I’m more proud of such a good result.
For Sanyal, the Asian Games were over before he could step into the cage. His account instead explored in detail the circumstances surrounding his preparation, particularly the decision to let him manage the potentially dangerous weight loss on his own.
– The end
Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
21 Sep 2026 18:36 IST