Vinesh Phogat was disqualified before her women’s 50kg wrestling final at Paris Olympics 2024 after she was found to be 100 gms overweight.
New Delhi: The much-awaited verdict by the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) on an appeal filed by Vinesh Phogat, which was about to be announced on Tuesday (August 13), has been postponed to August 16. Vinesh Phogat has appealed to the CAS for atleast a silver medal after she was disqualified before her women’s 50kg final bout as the Indian wrestler was found to be overweight by 100 grams. Vinesh stormed into the final with three convincing wins, including against wrestling royalty Yui Susaki of Japan last Tuesday (August 6).
Shocked by the dramatic turn of events, the crestfallen grappler last Wednesday (August 7) appealed against the decision at the CAS and demanded that she be given a joint silver with Cuban wrestler Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, who had lost to Vinesh but was later promoted to the final following the Indian’s disqualification.
A day after her heartbreaking disqualification, Vinesh announced her retirement from the sport, saying she doesn’t have the strength to continue, as sporting icons from across the world threw their weight behind the 29-year-old wrestler who was appearing in her third Olympic Games.
“The CAS ad hoc division president has allowed Hon. Dr Annabelle Bennett, Sole Arbitrator in the Vinesh Phogat vs. United World Wrestling (UWW) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) matter, an extension until 6-00 p.m. (Paris time) om Friday, August 16, 2024,” the IOA statement read. “Hence, the scheduled Zoom meeting with IOA President Dr PT Usha and Senior Counsel Mr. Harish Salve has been postponed,” the statement further added.
Meanwhile, Vinesh has already left the Games Village in Paris and is believed to be somewhere in Europe until the verdict is out. 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, 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.