1. Nutrition Strategy and Olympic Challenges
Topic: GS2 – Social Justice – Health
Context:
The recent disqualification of Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat at the 2024 Paris Olympics due to a minor weight excess reveals significant deficiencies in the support infrastructure for Indian athletes. This situation underscores the necessity of incorporating precision nutrition into athletic training to enhance performance and prevent similar issues.
Key Points:
Vinesh Phogat’s Disqualification:
Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the women's 50kg wrestling event for exceeding the weight limit by 100 grams, highlighting the crucial role of nutritionists and support staff in managing athletes' weight and preparation.
Precision Nutrition Significance:
Precision nutrition involves creating dietary plans tailored to an individual's needs, considering factors such as metabolism, genetics, and lifestyle. This approach aims to optimize health and performance through personalized nutrition strategies.
Scientific Basis of Precision Nutrition:
By utilizing data and advanced technologies like bioinformatics and machine learning, precision nutrition adjusts dietary recommendations based on how athletes respond to different foods. Wearable technology can continuously monitor vital metrics such as activity levels, stress, and sleep.
Role of Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM):
CGMs, traditionally used by diabetic patients, can also benefit athletes by optimizing energy levels and muscle growth through monitoring glucose responses to food. Though not allowed in competitions, CGMs can be valuable during training phases.
Challenges with Traditional Dietary Data Collection:
Self-reported dietary information often suffers from biases and inaccuracies. Objective, continuous monitoring provides more reliable data for precise dietary planning.
Weight Management in Sports:
Athletes in weight-specific sports like wrestling often resort to extreme measures for weight management, which can negatively impact their health and performance. A more sustainable, healthy approach is essential.
Importance of Sports Nutritionists:
Nutritionists specializing in precision nutrition can better oversee and adjust athletes' diets to meet competition standards while maintaining health.
Conclusion:
The incident involving Vinesh Phogat highlights a significant gap in the Indian sports support system. Integrating precision nutrition can prevent similar setbacks and optimize athletic performance, transforming sports training in India.
Practice Question:
Discuss the role of precision nutrition in enhancing athlete performance and preventing setbacks in competitive sports, considering recent incidents involving weight management challenges faced by Indian athletes at international events. (150 Words /10 marks)
2. Political Accountability and Legal Clarity
Topic: GS2 – Indian Polity
Context:
The Supreme Court of India's recent inquiries into whether political parties can be held accountable under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in cases involving Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia highlight critical questions about the legal accountability of political entities.
Key Points:
Supreme Court Inquiries in Bail Cases:
The court considered whether the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) could be implicated under the PMLA and if political parties could be made accused entities.
Legal Considerations:
The Enforcement Directorate applied Section 70 of the PMLA, which pertains to corporate offenses, to involve AAP. However, the definition does not explicitly include political parties.
Financial Operations of Political Parties:
Political parties primarily depend on donations and are not business entities. Tax exemptions for these donations recognize their role in democracy. Applying the PMLA to political parties could have significant consequences.
Distinction Between Policy and Criminality:
In a cabinet system, the cabinet is accountable for policy decisions, and individual ministers should not be held criminally responsible for collective cabinet decisions.
Need for Judicial Clarity:
It is essential for the Supreme Court to clarify the legal framework regarding political parties' involvement under these acts and the liability of individual ministers for cabinet decisions.
Practice Question:
Discuss the implications of including political parties under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on the democratic framework and political accountability in India. How might this affect the functioning and transparency of political entities? (150 Words /10 marks)
