The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat's plea challenging her disqualification at the Paris Olympics 2024 and seeking a joint-silver medal in the women's 50kg freestyle event.
“The application filed by Vinesh Phogat on 7 August 2024 is dismissed,“ the statement issued by CAS stated.
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For the unversed, 29-year-old Vinesh Phogat was disqualified for being 100gm overweight at the time of weigh-in ahead of the epic final. The International Olympic Committee (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 a joint silver medal.
It was earlier declared that the CAS would be giving its verdict on the matter on August 16, Friday. The CAS is an independent international institution that resolves legal disputes in sports through arbitration and mediation, and its decisions are final and binding.
Senior lawyer Harish Salve represented the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) in the case.
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Phogat had filed her appeal on August 7. Phogat maintained that she was within the prescribed weight limit during her bouts a day before the final. She attended the hearing that went on for about three hours virtually, reports said.
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.
