The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has confirmed that wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has been dismissed. The decision, which came as a surprise to both Phogat and the IOA, was announced on Wednesday, August 16.
According to IOA advocate Vidushpat Singhania, CAS has not provided a reason for dismissing Phogat’s appeal. He added that the decision can be appealed against at the Swiss Federal Tribunal within 30 days.
“No detailed order has come yet. Only a single-line order has come so far that her appeal has been dismissed. They have not cited a reason why it has been dismissed or why did they take so much time…We were both surprised and disappointed that a decision came last evening and her appeal was dismissed… We hope that the detailed order will come in 10-15 days… CAS decision can be appealed against at the Swiss Federal Tribunal within 30 days. The 30-day time will begin after a detailed order comes. Harish Salve is with us, he will guide us. We will sit with him, draft an appeal and file it…,” Singhania said.
Phogat was disqualified from the women’s 50kg freestyle wrestling final at the Tokyo Olympics on August 7 after exceeding the weight limit. She was found to be 100 grams over the limit during the weigh-in.
Following her disqualification, Phogat appealed to CAS, requesting that she be awarded the silver medal. However, her appeal has now been dismissed.
The verdict was originally scheduled for Tuesday, August 13, but was delayed to August 16. The decision was announced on Wednesday, August 16.
Phogat’s disqualification and subsequent appeal have been a major talking point in the Indian sporting community. Many have expressed support for Phogat, while others have questioned the fairness of the decision.
The IOA has stated that it will continue to support Phogat and will explore all legal options available to her.
