Vinesh Phogat, CAS Full Verdict:
During the Paris 2024 Olympics, on August 6, Indian wrestling star Vinesh Phogat secured a place in the 50kg freestyle wrestling finals by winning three consecutive matches, clinching the silver medal. The gold medal match was scheduled for the night of August 7, but that same morning, Vinesh was disqualified for being 100 grams overweight before the match.
Following this, Vinesh appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), asking that she be awarded a joint silver medal for the event. However, on August 14, CAS rejected her appeal. At the time, CAS only announced the decision without issuing a detailed statement or report.
Now, on Monday (August 19), CAS has released a detailed 24-page report outlining the lengthy procedure. This comprehensive decision can be viewed in full as follows.
Understanding the Decision Through Key Points...
1. There is no dispute that the athlete (Vinesh Phogat) failed the second weigh-in before the final. Her weight was over the 50kg category limit. Vinesh believed this slight excess (100 grams) was due to various factors like menstrual cycle, water retention, the need for hydration, and travel time to the athlete's village.
2. The issue for athletes is that weight rules are clear and equal for everyone, with no tolerance provided. Not even for the weight of the singlet (the wrestling jersey). It is the athlete's responsibility to ensure they comply with weight regulations.
Source: aajtak
3. The rules do not provide any discretion. The sole arbitrator must strictly enforce the rules. Even though the sole arbitrator recognizes that Vinesh's weight before the final was against the rules, and thus she was ineligible for the final, there is no provision to allow her any exception for a joint silver medal.
4. Vinesh requested that the appealed decision be annulled, suggesting that Article 11 of the rules should only apply to the final round and not from the start of the tournament. Vinesh did not challenge Article 11 itself. This means that the decision was legally valid, and Article 11 applies.
5. Vinesh also requested that the weight limit on that day be adjusted based on her personal circumstances and that 100 grams be tolerated, allowing her to compete in the 50kg category. However, the rules do not provide any such tolerance. The 50kg limit is fixed without any personal discretion.
6. Vinesh successfully met the weigh-in requirements on the first day, meaning she was within the allowed weight limit. She needed to meet the weigh-in on the final day as well. Because of Article 11, she was disqualified and ranked last, losing the guaranteed silver medal she had secured by winning the semifinal.
Source: aajtak
7. Vinesh acknowledges that she was disqualified according to the rules, making the semifinal runner-up eligible for the final and possibly silver or gold. She does not want another wrestler to lose their medal but seeks a second joint silver medal, which is not supported by any rule.
8. United World Wrestling (UWW) rules state that a wrestler must be eligible at both the beginning and throughout the tournament, from entry to the final. There is no authority to allow partial exceptions. Once a wrestler is ineligible during the competition, Article 11 enforces its outcomes.
9. Consequently, the sole arbitrator denies the relief sought by Vinesh, dismissing her application.
10. The sole arbitrator found that Vinesh entered the competition and won three rounds on the first day, reaching the 50kg wrestling final at the Paris Olympic Games. She failed the subsequent weigh-in, making her ineligible for the final. There was no indication of any wrongdoing on her part.
