The Court of Arbitration for Sport has once again deferred its verdict on wrestler Vinesh Phogat's appeal against her disqualification from the women's 50kg freestyle final of the Paris Olympics 2024. The CAS will now give its verdict on August 16.
"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) on Friday, August 16, 2024," a release from the IOA said.
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Vinesh Phogat was disqualified for being 100gm overweight on the morning of her final against Sarah Ann Hildebrandt of the USA. The IOC promoted Cuba's Guzman Yusneylys, who had lost to Phogat in the semifinal, to the gold medal bout. Yusneylys, however, lost to Hilderbrandt.
Vinesh Phogat had initially appealed to the CAS to be allowed to compete in the final. However, in another appeal, she requested for a joint silver medal.
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The CAS is an independent international institution that resolves legal disputes in sports through arbitration and mediation, and its decisions are final and binding.
The ad-hoc division of the CAS, with Dr. Annabelle Bennett AC SC (Australia) as the Sole Arbitrator, issued the decision today, two days after the Paris Olympics ended. She had heard the arguments of Vinesh Phogat’s lawyers, including Harish Salve and Vidushpat Singhania, and the respondents United World Wrestling and the International Olympic Committee, as well as the Indian Olympic Association as an interested party, over three hours on Saturday.
How the sports fraternity supported Vinesh Phogat
A day after her disqualification, Vinesh Phogat had announced her retirement from wrestling, saying she doesn't have the strength to continue.
Among the sports personalities who threw their weight behind the 29-year-old, were Japanese Olympic champion Rei Higuchi, who suffered a similar fate in the Tokyo Olympics, legendary American freestyle wrestler Jordan Burroughs, Sachin Tendulkar, Abhinav Bindra, Neeraj Chopra and P.R. Sreejesh. 2008 Beijing Olympics bronze medallist boxer Vijender Singh, too, extended his support on X.
