Indian MMA fighter Varun Sanyal ruled out of Asian Games 2026 after passing out in sauna

Dubai: Indian MMA athlete Varun Sanyal Aryamaan has been ruled medically unfit to compete at the Asian Games 2026 after suffering dehydration and muscle cramps during his weight cut.

Sanyal reportedly passed out after a sauna session while attempting to make weight for his MMA bout. A Nepalese athlete found him and helped take him for medical attention, while Indian officials, including MMA India president Nikhil Kunder, rushed to assist him.

Doctors subsequently declared Sanyal unfit to compete, bringing his Asian Games campaign to an abrupt end. He also failed to make weight for his scheduled men’s traditional 77kg quarterfinal bout against Bahrain’s Mukhammad Nabiev.

The development comes just days after Sanyal spoke about the difficult start to his Asian Games experience in Nagoya.

After arriving in Japan, the Indian athlete shared a video showing the chaos faced by athletes while waiting for accommodation. He said he had spent hours waiting and described the situation as a lengthy ordeal, with athletes left without proper food or accommodation arrangements.

Sanyal had travelled a long route to reach Nagoya and was among the athletes affected by the logistical problems surrounding the Games.

His campaign has now ended before he could step into competition. Sanyal is the son Sanjiv Sanyal, an advisor to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Economic Advisory Council.

For an athlete who had already documented the difficulties surrounding his arrival, the latest setback is another disappointing chapter at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

Sanyal’s case also highlights the physical demands of weight cutting in combat sports, with dehydration contributing to the episode that ultimately forced him out of the competition.