CAS to rule on Phogat’s request before the end of Paris 2024
India’s Vinesh Phogat (L) celebrates her victory over Japan’s Yui Susaki in the round of 16 of the women’s 50kg freestyle wrestling event at the Champ-de-Mars Arena during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, August 6, 2024, in Paris, France. (Photo: PTI)
The official application filed by Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat with The Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) against her disqualification from the women’s 50kg freestyle wrestling gold medal event has been officially accepted. The final verdict will be pronounced before the end of the 2024 Paris Olympics, according to a press release from CAS today.
Phogat had appealed her disqualification from the Olympics on August 7 for weighing 100 grams more than 50 kg. The Olympic Committee subsequently revoked her silver medal.
In their official press release on Friday, CAS said: “A request was submitted to the CAS Ad hoc Division on 7 August 2024 at 16:45 CEST by Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat regarding the decision of United World Wrestling (UWW) to replace her, due to her failed second weigh-in, prior to the gold medal match of the Women’s Freestyle 50kg competition.”
The Indian wrestler won the silver medal in the women’s 50kg freestyle event at the Paris Olympics, beating her Cuban rival to qualify for the final.
“The applicant initially requested a decision of the CAS Ad hoc Division to annul the contested decision and order a new weighting before the final, as well as a declaration that she would be eligible and qualified to participate in the final,” the CAS said in the statement.
The panel noted that Phogat had not sought “urgent interim measures”. “The CAS Ad Hoc Division procedure is expeditious, but it was not possible to reach a decision on the merits of the case within an hour, as the respondent UWW should have been heard first.”
The CAS further stated that the proceedings are still ongoing and that the applicant has confirmed that she is requesting the annulment of the contested decision and that she is requesting the award of a (shared) silver medal.
The press release also stated that the dispute has been referred to a single arbitrator, Dr Annabelle Bennett AC SC (AUS), who will hear both sides on Friday before reaching a conclusion.
First publication: Aug 09, 2024 | 5:33 PM IST