Vinesh Phogat Appeals Olympic Disqualification to CAS

Vinesh Phogat, the Indian wrestler who made waves at the Paris 2024 Olympics, is taking legal action after being disqualified from the women’s 50kg final due to a minor weight mishap. She is appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to recognize her as a joint silver medalist in the competition.

The 29-year-old athlete announced her retirement following the disqualification, expressing that the struggle against her weight had been tough. She missed the weight limit by just 100 grams, an incident that cost her a chance at an Olympic medal.

As of now, CAS has accepted her appeal and is set to hold a hearing on August 9 at 10 AM Paris time. Vinesh has been advised to get a lawyer on board, with indications that the Government of India is looking to involve well-known lawyer Harish Savle in the case.

Initially disqualified before the finals, Vinesh reached out to CAS to contest the decision. Her argument is that her performance in the semi-finals, where she secured a 5-0 victory, should count for more, especially as she reached the finals on her own merit.

In the backdrop, notable figures from the sports community, including Sanjay Singh and Mahavir Phogat, have encouraged her to reconsider her retirement decision, emphasizing that decisions made under emotional distress could lead to regret later.

Throughout the day, Vinesh had support from four pro bono lawyers provided by the Paris Bar for the hearing. The situation has sparked a dialogue about the importance of weight management in competitive sports and the implications of technical rules on athletes’ careers.

Meanwhile, fellow Indian wrestler Aman is also in action, where a victory tonight would secure him at least a silver medal against Japan’s Rei Higuchi, adding to the ongoing excitement and tension of the Olympics.