No silver for Vinesh Phogat at Paris 2024 Olympics, CAS dismisses appeal

Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat will not be awarded a silver medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics, after the ad hoc division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dismissed her appeal for a joint-silver medal on Wednesday.

After reaching the women’s 50kg final of her competition on August 7, Vinesh was disqualified for being a little over 100 grams during the weigh-in.

“The application filed by Vinesh Phogat on 7 August 2024 is dismissed,“ said the statement issued by CAS.

Vinesh weighed 49.90kg on the morning ahead of her first-round bout, well within the permissible limit. She, however, gained weight during the day as she secured three back-to-back wins, including one over defending Olympic champion Yui Susaki, to reach the quarterfinal.

Vinesh had appealed to be reinstated for the gold medal bout at first against USA’s Sarah Hildebrandt, before altering the appeal and requesting a joint silver medal to be awarded to her.

Following Vinesh’s disqualification, Yusneylis Guzman Lopez of Cuba (whom Vinesh had defeated in her semifinal) replaced her in the gold medal bout, which was won by Sarah Hildebrandt of the USA.

The Indian wrestler announced her retirement on August 8 with a statement on social media. Vinesh posted on her  X account: “Mother, wrestling won against me, I lost. Forgive me as your dreams and my strength are broken. I do not have any more strength left in me. Goodbye wrestling 2001-2024. I will always be indebted to all of you. Forgive me.” “Goodbye wrestling. I’ll always be indebted to you. Sorry.”

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President Dr PT Usha expressed her shock and disappointment at the decision of the Sole Arbitrator at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

“The marginal discrepancy of a 100 grams and the resultant consequences has profound impact, not only in terms of Vinesh’s career but also raises serious questions about ambiguous rules and their interpretation,” the IOA said in a statement.

“The IOA firmly believes that the total disqualification of an athlete for such a weight infraction on the second of two days warrants a deeper examination. Our legal representatives had duly brought this out in their submissions before the Sole Arbitrator.”

The Association further said that the entire saga highlighted the ‘stringent and, arguably, inhumane regulations that fail to account for the physiological and psychological stresses athletes, particularly female athletes, undergo’, hinting at the need for more ‘equitable and reasonable standards that prioritize athletes’ well-being.’

“In light of the order of the CAS, the IOA continues to stand in full support of Ms. Phogat and is exploring further legal options. The IOA is committed to ensuring that Vinesh’s case is heard. It will continue to advocate justice and fairness in sports, ensuring that the rights and dignity of athletes and everyone in the sports fold are upheld at all times,” the IOA added.