Anorexia fears as martial arts kids vomit to avoid weight fine

CHILDREN as young as six are making themselves sick before taekwondo tournaments to avoid paying ‘weight change’ fines, The Mail on Sunday has been told.

Youngsters must register a weight band two weeks before a fight and are weighed again on arrival at an event to ensure children of similar sizes compete against each other.

But it is feared kids are in danger of developing eating disorders to avoid the shame of paying a £20 penalty or face being disqualified.

Mili Bhandal, 11, from London, was fined £20 at last year’s national championships after she was 200g overweight. Her mother Puneet Bhandal, 54, said: ‘She is asking me if she is too fat. She is just a child.’

Mrs Bhandal claims one coach advises students to throw up before a weigh-in. She said: ‘Six and sevenyear-olds are making themselves sick to lose weight and not be penalised.’ She complained to the governing body last October.

A British Taekwondo spokesman said: ‘We are looking into this.’