The Court of Arbitration for Sport’s (CAS) ad-hoc division has once again postponed its ruling on Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s appeal against her disqualification from the Olympic finals. The new date for the decision is now set for August 16, meaning Phogat will have to wait longer for a resolution to her case.
The 29-year-old wrestler was disqualified from competing in the women’s 50kg freestyle final after exceeding the weight limit by 100 grams during the weigh-in process on Wednesday of the previous week. In her appeal, Phogat requests a joint silver medal alongside Yusneylis Guzman Lopez from Cuba, who advanced to the final after Phogat’s disqualification.
The case has been postponed for a third time, with no explanation provided for the delay. A release from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) stated that the CAS ad hoc division president has granted an extension until 6:00 p.m. (Paris time) on Friday, August 16, 2024, to Hon. Dr. Annabelle Bennett, the sole arbitrator in the matter.
Vinesh’s legal team, consisting of French lawyers Joelle Monlouis, Estelle Ivanova, Habbine Estelle Kim, and Charles Amson, have been assisting Phogat and the IOA in submitting the application. The Paris Bar has assigned these lawyers to Vinesh’s case pro bono, and they are working alongside senior counsels Harish Salve and Vidushpat Singhania.
The IOA initially planned a virtual press conference with its president, PT Usha, and Salve, coinciding with the anticipated verdict announcement. However, the invitation was quickly retracted minutes after the CAS released its statement.
Following her disqualification, Vinesh, a three-time Olympian, announced her retirement from the sport, stating, “I don’t have the strength to continue.” The world championships bronze medalist had taken drastic measures to avoid disqualification, including cutting her hair, going without food and water, and working out through the night. She eventually required IV fluids due to extreme dehydration, garnering widespread sympathy.
Top athletes such as javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, hockey star PR Sreejesh, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar voiced their support for Vinesh and advocated for her to receive a silver medal. International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach acknowledged the difficult situation but questioned the precedent it would set if concessions were allowed in similar circumstances.
“I must say, I have a certain understanding for the wrestler; it’s clearly a human touch,” Bach said on Friday. “Now, it’s (appeal) in CAS. We will, at the end, follow the CAS decision. But, again, the international (wrestling) federation, they have to apply their interpretation, their rules. This is their responsibility.”
However, Nenad Lalovic, the United World Wrestling (UWW) chief, expressed doubt about any change in the results, stating they were merely following the rules. “I am so sorry for what happened, but no matter the size of your country, athletes are athletes. This weigh-in was public, everyone saw what happened. How can we allow someone to compete when we all saw what happened?” Lalovic said. “We don’t have any other choice but to follow our rules.”
The CAS ad-hoc division, established specifically for dispute resolution during the Games, accepted Vinesh’s appeal against her disqualification last week. The decision on August 16 will determine whether she will be awarded the silver medal she believes she rightfully deserves.
