What happened in Vinesh Phogat case and why CAS denied a medal to her? - Explained

One of India’s most celebrated wrestlers Vinesh Phogat faced a significant setback as her appeal against disqualification from the Paris Olympics 2024 was denied. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dismissed her appeal on Wednesday, ending her hopes of securing a shared silver medal in the women’s 50kg wrestling category.

How Vinesh Phogat was disqualified?

Vinesh’s disqualification occurred under unfortunate circumstances. On the morning of August 7, before her highly anticipated final against Sarah Ann Hildebrandt of the USA, she was found to be 100 grams over the permissible weight limit.

This small discrepancy led to her immediate disqualification, as per the rules set by United World Wrestling (UWW). The rule states that any wrestler who fails the weigh-in at any point during the competition is disqualified, and all previous victories are nullified. This ruling stripped Vinesh not only of her chance to compete for gold but also of the silver medal she had been guaranteed by reaching the final.

What was IOC and Vinesh’s challenge?

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and Vinesh’s team were quick to challenge the decision, arguing that she had been within the weight limit during the initial weigh-in. They emphasized that the slight weight gain occurred after she had already won three tough bouts, a common occurrence in wrestling due to the physical demands of the sport.

Despite their efforts to convince the authorities and a subsequent appeal to CAS, the decision remained unchanged. Vinesh, determined to seek justice, initially submitted two pleas. Her primary plea aimed to stay the gold medal bout between Hildebrandt and Cuba's Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, but CAS rejected it, allowing the match to proceed.

Why did CAS dismiss Vinesh Phogat’s plea?

Undeterred, Vinesh then pursued a secondary plea for a shared silver medal with Lopez, arguing that she had complied with the weight regulations during her previous matches. Represented by renowned lawyers Harish Salve and Vidushpat Singhania, Vinesh hoped for a favourable outcome. However, CAS reviewed and ultimately dismissed her plea, concluding that the rules had been correctly applied.