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In a major setback for India, the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) has rejected wrestler Vinesh Phogat's plea against her disqualification at the Paris Olympics 2024. Phogat had filed an appeal in the CAS after her heartbreaking disqualification from gold medal match at Paris Olympics 2024. Notably, the ad-hoc division of the CAS had heard all the arguments and was expected to deliver the verdict on August 10; however, it was somehow deferred for two dates.
India waited with bated breaths as the CAS released a statement about announcing the decision on the Sunday itself but it made a shift again, with the new date being August 13 first, which later moved on to August 16. In a statement on August 13, the CAS ad-hoc said, "By application of Article 18 of the CAS Arbitration Rules for the Olympic Games, the President of the CAS Ad Hoc Division extends the time-limit for the Panel to give a decision until 16 August 2024 at 18h00 (Paris time)."
However, on August 14, the CAS dismissed Vinesh Phogat's petition, and she will not get an Olympic medal. The official statement read, "The Ad hoc division of the Court of Arbitration for Sports renders the following decision: The application filed by Vinesh Phogat on 7 August 2024 is dismissed."
What was Vinesh Phogat's plea against her disqualification?
On August 6, Vinesh created history by becoming first Indian woman to reach a wrestling final at the Olympics, as she took down Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman in the semifinal of women’s 50kg category. However, entire India’s happiness proved to be short-lived as on the day of her final clash bout against USA’s Sarah Sarah Ann Hildebrandt, Phogat was declared disqualified for being 100 grams over the weight limit.
Phogat who assured India of at least a silver was left heartbroken with what happened, and she announced her retirement from the sport. However, she filed a plea at the CAS against her disqualification and demanded of a joint silver medal.
