After the announcement of the dismissal of her application for an Olympic silver medal following disqualification from the women’s 50 kg final at Paris, former Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat took to social media to make a cryptic post. On Wednesday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) released a statement to confirm that, “The application field by Vinesh Phogat on August 7 has been dismissed.” After the release of this statement, Vinesh took to Instagram on Thursday, posting a picture of her laying down on a mat with her hands covering her eyes, as if conveying an emotion of distress.
According to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), the verdict was originally scheduled for Tuesday, August 13 at 9:30 pm IST, but was delayed to August 16. However, the decision was announced on Wednesday.
IOA is “exploring further legal options” after India wrestler’s plea dismissal.
Following the verdict, IOA president PT Usha expressed her shock and disappointment at the decision of the Sole Arbitrator at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to dismiss wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s application against the United World Wrestling (UWW) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), as per an official statement from IOA.
“In light of the order of the CAS, the IOA continues to stand in full support of Phogat and is exploring further legal options,” the IOA said in its statement.
The IOA in its statement further said that it 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. We appreciate the continued support and understanding of our stakeholders, athletes, and the public.”
“The operative part of the August 14 decision, which dismisses Vinesh’s application to be awarded a shared silver medal women’s 50 kg category at the Paris Olympic Games 2024, has significant implications for her in particular and the sporting community at large,” IOA said in its statement.
The IOA further stated that the total disqualification of an athlete on a marginal discrepancy of 100 grams mandates deeper examination and raises questions about ambiguous rules and their interpretation.
“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,” IOA said.
“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,” IOA added in its statement.
The IOA claimed that the incident revolving around Vinesh’s case highlights the “inhumane regulations” that don’t take into account the physiological and psychological stress athletes take, particularly female athletes.
“The matter involving Vinesh highlights the stringent and, arguably, inhumane regulations that fail to account for the physiological and psychological stresses athletes, particularly female athletes, undergo. It is a stark reminder of the need for more equitable and reasonable standards that prioritize athletes’ well-being,” IOA added.
IOA extended full support to Vinesh and confirmed that further legal options are being explored to ensure Vinesh’s case is heard, it added.
Vinesh was set to face Sarah Ann Hildebrandt of the United States for the gold medal on August 7. She was disqualified before the women’s 50kg final after exceeding the 50kg weight limit before the final on August 7.
During the weigh-in, she was found to be 100 grams over the limit.
Following her disqualification, Vinesh appealed for the silver medal in the 50kg weight category.
On August 8, Vinesh penned an emotional to announce her decision to retire from wrestling. “Maa kushti (wrestling) won against me, I lost. Forgive me, your dream and my courage have been broken. I don’t have any more strength now. Goodbye Wrestling 2001-2024. I will always be indebted to you all for forgiveness,” Phogat said in her post.
Hildebrandt secured the gold medal in the women’s 50kg freestyle wrestling after defeating Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez.
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