3afan
02-16-2010, 01:35 PM
Luger Aya Yasuda disqualified for missing weight
By Trey Kerby
This is a touchy subject. Japan's Aya Yasuda has been disqualified from the women's luge event Tuesday for being over weight.
Not "overweight." At 132 pounds, Yasuda is the ideal size for luging. It's her equipment that weighs too much.
Because of a miscalculation, Yasuda brought too much ballast with her to weigh-ins for Tuesday's competition. Lugers are allowed 13.1 kg of "additional weight." Yasuda brought 13.3.
Though there is no weight requirement for luge, women who weigh less than 75 kg (Yasuda weighs roughly 60 kg) may make up 75 percent of that difference without going over the limit. Yasuda exceeded that limit by less than half a pound.
Though Yasuda was not expected to be a medal contender, this would have been her first Olympics. It's unfortunate that the equivalent of the weight of a cheeseburger would keep her from competing, especially when it's the result of accidentally miscalculating a somewhat complex formula. It's not like Yasuda was using an illegal sled, blood doping, or anything like that.
You have to draw the line somewhere, but this seems a little harsh.
By Trey Kerby
This is a touchy subject. Japan's Aya Yasuda has been disqualified from the women's luge event Tuesday for being over weight.
Not "overweight." At 132 pounds, Yasuda is the ideal size for luging. It's her equipment that weighs too much.
Because of a miscalculation, Yasuda brought too much ballast with her to weigh-ins for Tuesday's competition. Lugers are allowed 13.1 kg of "additional weight." Yasuda brought 13.3.
Though there is no weight requirement for luge, women who weigh less than 75 kg (Yasuda weighs roughly 60 kg) may make up 75 percent of that difference without going over the limit. Yasuda exceeded that limit by less than half a pound.
Though Yasuda was not expected to be a medal contender, this would have been her first Olympics. It's unfortunate that the equivalent of the weight of a cheeseburger would keep her from competing, especially when it's the result of accidentally miscalculating a somewhat complex formula. It's not like Yasuda was using an illegal sled, blood doping, or anything like that.
You have to draw the line somewhere, but this seems a little harsh.