Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat has taken her fight for a medal at the Paris Olympics to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Phogat was disqualified from the Women’s Freestyle 50kg final after exceeding the weight limit during the weigh-in on Wednesday morning. She is reportedly seeking to be awarded the silver medal, which she would have secured had she not been disqualified.
Vinesh, who weighed in at 49.90 kg on Tuesday morning, well within the permissible limit, was found to be 100 grams over the limit on Wednesday. This weight gain occurred during the day, as she secured three consecutive victories, including a triumph over reigning Olympic champion Yui Susaki, to reach the final.
She was scheduled to face Sarah Hildebrandt of the USA, the Tokyo 2020 bronze medalist, in the gold medal bout. However, the disqualification denied her the opportunity to compete for the top prize.
The CAS appeal could have significant implications for Phogat and the outcome of the event. More updates are expected on this developing situation.
