CAS dismisses Indian wrestler's appeal

Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from Olympics after failing to make weight

PARIS:

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat's appeal against disqualification from the Paris Olympics after she failed to make weight for her women's 50kg freestyle final last week.

Phogat, who has won three Commonwealth Games gold medals, was due to face Sarah Hildebrandt of the United States for the gold medal in Paris but was 100 grams (3.5 ounces) over the 50kg limit at the weigh-in for the final. She had made the weight before all her earlier bouts.

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) filed an appeal with global governing body United World Wrestling (UWW) to reconsider the decision.

Phogat asked CAS to award her a shared silver medal.

On Thursday, CAS said the matter which was examined by retired Australian judge Dr Annabelle Bennett as sole arbitrator, "has been dismissed".

"Consequently, the UWW decision is confirmed," the statement added.

Hildebrandt took gold in the final against Cuba's Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, who was reprieved after losing her semi-final to Phogat.

World bronze medallist Phogat, 29, was in the public eye for months last year as part of a long-running protest against the then-chief of Indian wrestling when he was embroiled in a sexual harassment scandal.

Following her disqualification from the Paris Olympics final, Phogat announced her retirement from wrestling.

It is worth mentioning here that, the CAS had delayed their verdict for the third time on Tuesday, 13 August on the Vinesh matter. The wrestler had earlier appealed for a joint silver medal in the Paris Olympics after she was dismissed on the day of her gold medal match.

"The application filed at the CAS Ad hoc Division by Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat (the Applicant) in relation to the decision taken by United World Wrestling (UWW) to replace her, because of her failed second weigh-in, before the gold medal match of the Women's Freestyle 50kg competition at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 has been dismissed.