Vinesh Phogat, recently disqualified from the women’s 50kg wrestling final at the Paris Olympics 2024 for being 100 grams overweight, has decided to appeal the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
She is requesting a joint Olympic silver medal be awarded to her. The Court of Arbitration for Sport, established in 1984, handles disputes in sport through arbitration. Vinesh Phogat has asked for an urgent hearing, with a verdict expected on Thursday.
Sarah Ann Hildebrandt of the USA, Vinesh’s scheduled opponent for the final, was set to compete against Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez after Vinesh’s disqualification. Vinesh Phogat had previously defeated Lopez in the semi-final. Indian squash player Saurav Ghoshal commented on Jio Cinema that the Indian contingent has conducted due diligence.
An ad-hoc Court of Arbitration for Sport division has been established in Paris for resolving disputes arising during the Olympic Games or the preceding 10 days. Vinesh’s hopes for a silver medal now depend on the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling.
ALSO READ: What Vinesh Phogat did to lose weight
According to reports, Court of Arbitration for Sport rules require claimants to exhaust all internal remedies available under the sports body’s regulations, except when the time required would make an appeal ineffective.
Former Indian wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt expressed his support for Vinesh Phogat, describing her disqualification as a loss for India and calling for solidarity. He noted that similar situations have affected international athletes and criticized the political implications. Vinesh Phogat had reached the Gold Medal bout after defeating Yusneylis Guzman Lopez 5-0 in the semi-finals.In a heartbreaking development for India at the Paris Olympics, wrestler Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the 50kg women’s freestyle wrestling final just hours before her match. The disqualification occurred because she exceeded the weight limit by 100 grams.
Did you know that you can join The Theorist on WhatsApp and stay updated? Click here
Prime Minister Narendra Modi intervened, urging the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to investigate all possible avenues to appeal Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification. Despite reports suggesting that there is minimal flexibility once an athlete fails to meet weight requirements, PM Modi’s involvement has sparked a ray of hope.
PM Modi personally contacted IOA President PT Usha to get an update and encouraged her to pursue every option to support Vinesh’s case. He advised PT Usha to lodge a strong protest if needed and to explore every possible means for redress.
