No Paris Olympics silver medal for wrestler Vinesh Phogat as CAS rejects appeal

New Delhi: Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s appeal for a joint silver medal was rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sports, the Indian Olympic Association informed on Wednesday.

Phogat’s plea was dismissed by the ad-hoc court CAS after she was disqualified for being overweight at the weigh-in before her 50kg final bout.

She reportedly weighed by over 100 gram on the morning of her bout after entering the 50kg freestyle final with a hat-trick of victories, including one against defending champion Yui Susaki of Japan.

Phogat was supposed to battle eventual winner USA’s Sarah Hildebrandt in the final but was disqualified after the customary morning weigh-in.

“The operative part of the August 14 decision, which dismisses Vinesh’s application to be awarded a shared silver medal in women’s 50 kg category at the Paris Olympic Games has significant implications for her in particular and the sporting community at large,” the IOA said in a statement.

#BREAKING: HEARTBREAK for India as Indian Olympic Wrestler Vinesh Phogat loses her appeal before the Ad-hoc Court of Arbitration for Sport in Paris. No silver medal for Vinesh Phogat as CAS dismisses her appeal. Reasoned order expected soon. #VineshPhogat #Olympics2024 pic.twitter.com/sQdmk1hkiw

— Law Today (@LawTodayLive) August 14, 2024

The IOA president PT Usha said she shocked and disappointed “at the decision of the Sole Arbitrator at the CAS to dismiss wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s application against the United World Wrestling (UWW) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).”

The IOA criticised the ambiguous rules of wrestling and interpretations of them and called for greater intrspection, saying: “The marginal discrepancy of a 100 grams and the resultant consequences has profound impact, not only in terms of Vinesh’s career but also raises serious questions about ambiguous rules and their interpretation.”

“The IOA firmly believes that the total disqualification of an athlete for such a weight infraction on the second of two days warrants a deeper examination. The matter involving Vinesh highlights the stringent and, arguably, inhumane regulations that fail to account for the physiological and psychological stresses athletes, particularly female athletes, undergo.”

Earnest plea

After getting barred from competing in the final, the grappler had appealed to CAS, before announcing her retirement from sport, claiming not to have further strength to continue her career.

Four pro-bono lawyers of CAS fought her case at CAS, the world’s highest judiciary to solve sporting cases, based in lausanne, Switzerland.

The CAS formed an ad-hoc division, specifically for sporting disputes at arising in Paris Olympics, which accepted Phogat’s appeal.

In her legal battle, the 29-year-old, in her third Olympics, received support from sporting luminaries from around the globe though the International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach and United World Wrestling head Nenad Lalovic pointed out that relaxations of rules could lead to wider ramifications.

French lawyers Joelle Monlouis, Estelle Ivanova, Habbine Estelle Kim and Charles Amson argued her case at CAS with the IOA also supporting her case as an “interested party”.

The IOA flew senior counsels Harish Salve and Vidushpat Singhania to plead her case, whose judgement was initially decided to arrive on August 13 but then was deferred by CAS, saying it would arrive by August 16.

The postponement meant Phogat had to delay her return to India after the conclusion of Plypics on August 11 and stay back in Paris until a judgement was passed.

With the rejection of Phogat’s appeal, India ended their Paris Olympics campaign with six medals (one silver and five bronze).

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 Vinesh Phogat’s plea for a joint silver medal after she was disqualified for being overweight at the weigh-in before her 50kg final bout was dismissed by CAS.  Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today