Varun Sanyal passes out during sauna weight cut, withdraws from Asian Games

Varun Sanyal, an Indian mixed martial artist, passed out during a sauna session at his cruise accommodation while attempting to make the 77kg limit and was forced to withdraw from the Asian Games on Sunday.

Sanyal had been added to India’s MMA squad on short notice and said he arrived at the Games on two weeks’ notice after being included on September 2. He told PTI he had qualified in January but shifted focus to his professional career amid uncertainty around the qualification process, and that another athlete who sought qualification in Uzbekistan had not ranked high enough in Asia. Sanyal said those circumstances, combined with accommodation problems and the absence of support staff, left him to handle his weight cut alone.

According to accounts, Sanyal became exhausted and dehydrated during a sauna session and lost consciousness; an athlete from Nepal found and woke him. MMA Sports Federation of India president Nikhil Kunder said: “Fortunately, he was found in that state by an athlete from Nepal who woke him up. Varun was able to call me and we took him to hospital.” Kunder added: “There was nothing to be worried about. He was brought back to the cruise ship around 3:00am. He was hydrated, the doctors here are attending to him. He is stable, can speak and is out of trouble.”

The Indian Olympic Association released a medical account stating: “He underwent a medical examination and precautionary blood tests, which were normal. Despite rest, the following morning, he felt not fully fit to participate in a combat sport. After consultation with his coach, he withdrew on medical grounds,” the IOA said. Sanyal was declared medically unfit and did not compete at the Games.

The report outlined common methods athletes use to make weight and the health risks involved, noting that fluid restriction, deliberate dehydration and sauna sessions are employed to shed water quickly and that severe dehydration can lead to dizziness, collapse and loss of consciousness. Sanyal’s blackout occurred while he was attempting to reduce his weight through a sauna session.

India’s MMA entry at the Asian Games consisted of Sanyal and Suchika Tariyal, who won bronze in the women’s traditional 60kg category, and travelled without support staff in Japan. Sanyal has questioned why he was left to manage the weight cut by himself, saying: “I had no choice but to do it by myself. That’s a question, to be honest, I would like the public to ask, why was I alone?”

Sanyal said he was disappointed to miss the chance to compete and outlined his ambitions in the sport: “Yeah, absolutely, I am disappointed. I had wanted to participate and show off my skills. I have big aspirations for myself in this sport, and I have backed myself to do well.” He also commented on the team’s result and federation challenges: “I think rather than focusing on what could happen, we focus on what did. And despite all the challenges that the federation has faced over the last year, we came out with a medal, it is huge.” “So, yeah, rather than disappointed, I'm more proud of such a good result.”

For Sanyal, the Asian Games concluded before he could fight, and his account has raised questions about the circumstances of his preparation and the decision to leave him to manage a potentially dangerous weight cut alone.