Taekwondo children make themselves sick to escape weight fine

CHILDREN as young as six are deliberately making themselves sick before British taekwondo tournaments to avoid having to pay controversial ‘weight change’ fines, parents have told The Mail on Sunday.

Youngsters have to pre-register the weight band they wish to fight in two weeks before a tournament and are then weighed again on their arrival at the event to ensure children of similar sizes fight against each other.

But concerned parents say their children – who are forced to stand on scales during distressing pre-fight weigh-ins wearing only their underwear – are in danger of developing eating disorders to avoid the shame of having to pay the £20 penalty to avoid being kicked out of the event.

Parents claimed children have been told they can escape a fine if they come back to be weighed again minutes later – which has led to some youngsters making themselves vomit so that they can lose weight fast. Others refuse food and drink or dangerously dehydrate themselves before a tournament weigh-in through excessive exercise. The practice has happened for years but has come under the spotlight in the wake of a series of fat-shaming scandals facing other Olympic sports.

Mili Bhandal, 11, from West London, was hit with a £20 fine at the national championships last year after she was found to be 200 grams overweight – the equivalent of less than a quarter of a bag of sugar.

‘They told me I had seven minutes to lose it [the weight]. So I ran back and forth and went to the toilet again, but I still didn’t lose anything and was upset that my mum had to pay the £20,’ she said.

‘My relationship with food has changed. Every time I had a meal I felt conscious of my weight. I questioned if I was overweight when I wasn’t. I did not want to weigh myself after that and I still don’t feel like I can enter fighting competitions unless the rule is changed.’

Her mother Puneet Bhandal, 54, said the impact on her daughter had been heartbreaking, adding: ‘She is asking me every other day whether she is too fat. She is just a child, but instead of enjoying her food she is obsessing over it.’

Mrs Bhandal complained to British Taekwondo last October.

A safeguarding officer replied, agreeing it was a ‘harmful practice’ that needed to be stamped out. But the sporting body has not changed its policy. Mrs Bhandal claimed one coach told her he advises his students to throw up before a weighin. She said: ‘Six and seven-year-old children are making themselves sick to lose weight and not be penalised. How can that be right?’

A British Taekwondo spokesman said: ‘We are aware of the complaint and are looking into this. We want everyone taking part in our sport to have a positive experience.’

A Sport England spokesman said: ‘We will explore the issues raised and encourage anyone with concerns about safeguarding in any sport to report it immediately.’