Varun Sanyal, India’s 77kg MMA hopeful, withdrew from the Asian Games after a weight‑cut blackout.
Sanyal collapsed in a sauna at the cruise‑ship accommodation on Sunday, slipping into a faint state before medical staff could reach him. Doctors declared him medically unfit for competition, ruling out any chance to fight.
He’d only been named in the squad on September 2, after a chaotic selection process that left the team without support staff. With no coaches to guide the cut, Sanyal was left to do it alone, and he was the fourth‑ranked Asian in the 77kg division.
‘It was quite foolish,’ Sanyal told PTI. ‘I had no choice but to do it by myself—why was I alone? I’m disappointed, but I’m also proud that the federation pulled a medal despite the hurdles.’
MMA Sports Federation president Nikhil Kunder said a Nepalese teammate found him unconscious, and the Indian Olympic Association noted he suffered cramps and body ache after the sauna. The team will now look for a replacement in the 77kg bracket.
Sanyal is refocusing on his professional career; a fight is scheduled in Mumbai next month.