Indian Wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s Plea for a Silver Medal Denied by the Court of Arbitration for Sport
In Short:
- Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the 50 kg wrestling final at the Paris 2024 Olympics for exceeding the weight limit.
- Vinesh appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to be awarded a joint-silver medal.
- CAS dismissed her appeal, stating that the rules are clear and must be applied without exception.
- The full verdict, released on August 19, outlines the decision-making process and the reasons for dismissing her appeal.
- Vinesh has returned to India and is uncertain about her future in wrestling.
Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat's appeal against her disqualification from the Paris 2024 Olympics has been officially dismissed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The detailed verdict, released on August 19, explains why her request for a joint-silver medal could not be granted.
Vinesh was disqualified after failing to meet the weight requirement for the 50 kg category on the day of the final. Despite her initial success in the competition, the rules clearly state that athletes must remain within the weight limit throughout the event. Unfortunately, Vinesh's weight exceeded the limit during the second weigh-in, leading to her disqualification and her ranking last in the event.
In her appeal to CAS, Vinesh argued that her weight was only slightly over the limit due to factors such as her menstrual cycle and water retention. She requested that the rules be adjusted to accommodate her specific circumstances and that she be awarded a silver medal based on her performance before the disqualification.
However, the CAS verdict emphasized that the weight limit is an absolute rule with no allowances for individual circumstances. The rules are applied uniformly to all athletes, and there is no provision for personal exceptions. As a result, the appeal was dismissed, and Vinesh's disqualification stands.
The verdict also clarified that once a wrestler is declared ineligible due to a failed weigh-in, they are disqualified from the competition, and any results achieved before that point do not grant them any right to medals.
Following this decision, Vinesh has returned to India and expressed uncertainty about whether she will continue her wrestling career.