Vinesh Phogat’s legal team can exploit a loophole in wrestling body UWW’s rules in the CAS hearing ahead of the verdict on Tuesday.
All of India have their eyes set on Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) who are set to announce their verdict on Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s plea that she should be declared as a joint silver-medallist in the women’s wrestling 50kg category at the Paris Olympics 2024. Vinesh had filed her petition in front of the ad-hoc committee of CAS set up during the Olympics and all related documents to the appeal have been submitted by Sunday (August 11) evening.
According to media reports, Vinesh’s lawyers could exploit a loophole in wrestling’s governing body UWW’s rules. A report in Revsportz website state that the UWW suggests that the 100 grams, margin by which Vinesh failed the weigh-in, can’t be overlooked as rules don’t allow, no exception can be granted to Vinesh. Hence, the Indian wrestler can’t be awarded a silver medal in the bout.
Still can’t get over that comeback & celebration! 🙌🏻🤩
Vinesh Phogat’s victory over World no.1 Yui Susaki was the biggest turnaround of #Paris2024 🔥#OlympicsOnJioCinema #OlympicsOnSports18 #JioCinemaSports #Cheer4Bharat pic.twitter.com/Hqq60ird7g
— JioCinema (@JioCinema) August 12, 2024
According to UWW rules, the person who can enter the repechage round is the one who loses to the finalist. In the 50kg freestyle wrestling final, Yui Susaki of Japan was given the opportunity to fight for the bronze medal in the repechage rounds. But, as per the rules, Vinesh isn’t the finalist since she was disqualified from the gold medal match on the basis of a failed weigh-in.
The final was fought between Yusneylys Guzman of Cuba and Sarah Hildebrandt of the USA. But why was Susaki allowed to compete in the repechage if Vinesh had been deemed disqualified and placed last ahead of the medal rounds. If rules are to be followed, Susaki shouldn’t have been allowed to compete in the repechage round, but UWW allowed that to happen.
There is an obvious loophole in the UWW rules, it’s remains to be seen how the Indian camp decides to exploit this when the final CAS hearing takes place on Tuesday before the verdict is announced.
Vinesh’s legal team has French lawyers Joelle Monlouis, Estelle Ivanova, Habbine Estelle Kim and Charles Amson who helped her and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) during the filing of the application. They have been provided to her by the Paris Bar and are handling the case pro-bono.
In addition to them, senior counsels Harish Salve and Vidushpat Singhania have also been roped in to help her in the case. Salve served as the Solicitor General of India from 1999 to 2003. He also represented India before the International Court of Justice in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case. If CAS rules in Vinesh’s favour, she will be awarded a joint-silver in the women’s 50kg freestyle category.