Vinesh Phogat's plea for shared silver medal decision expected on 13th August

Indian wrestler’s legal team argues for “principle of proportionality” in weight regulations.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is set to announce its decision on Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s appeal for a shared silver medal as early as Tuesday, August 13. This development comes after Phogat was disqualified from the Olympic final for failing to meet the weight requirements.

Phogat missed the 50kg weight limit by a mere 100 grams on the morning of her scheduled final against USA’s Sarah Hildebrandt last Wednesday. This led to her disqualification and subsequent replacement by Guzman Lopez in the gold medal match.

According to reports from the Indian Express, Phogat’s legal team has put forward several arguments in their appeal. They claim that the tight schedule between bouts and the considerable distance between the competition venue and the Games Village contributed to Phogat’s inability to maintain her weight.

The counsel also argued that the 100-gram excess was “extremely negligible” and could be attributed to factors such as body bloating in summer weather or muscle mass increase from competing three times in one day.

Also Read: Top five most memorable moments in Vinesh Phogat’s career

The appeal calls for the application of the “principle of proportionality,” suggesting that the minor weight discrepancy should not result in such severe consequences as disqualification from the finals. Phogat’s team emphasizes that preserving the athlete’s health should take priority over strict adherence to weight limits.

Following her disqualification, Phogat announced her retirement from wrestling on social media, stating, “My courage is broken, I don’t have any more strength now. Goodbye Wrestling, 2001-2024.”

Also Read: Top five career achievements of Vinesh Phogat

The CAS, which initially planned to make a decision by the end of the Olympics, has granted sole arbitrator Annabelle Bennett additional time due to “exceptional circumstances.” This extension has pushed the expected announcement date to Tuesday.

The outcome of this appeal could have significant implications for weight management policies in wrestling and other weight-class sports.

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