The Court of Arbitration for Sport has for the third time delayed its verdict on Vinesh Phogat’s appeal to award her a joint silver medal after disqualification from Paris Olympics 2024.
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Vinesh Phogat’s wait for an Olympic silver medal has been extended at least till 9.30 PM IST on 16 August after the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) once again delayed the date for delivering its decision. This is the
third time the date for the verdict has been extended by the CAS.
The Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat had appealed in front of the ad-hoc division of the sports tribunal after she was
disqualified from the Paris Olympics 2024 for failing to make weight. On the day of her gold medal match in the 50kg wrestling category, Vinesh was found to be 100 grams overweight at the time of weigh-in and was subsequently disqualified from the Olympics.
Vinesh had appealed that she should at least be awarded a silver medal considering she had cleared the weigh-in on the first day of competition when she also won the semi-finals to be assured of at least a silver medal.
CAS who had earlier said that the verdict would come before the end of the Paris Olympics on 11 August and later extended the deadline to 13 August on Tuesday did not specify any reason or the latest extension, only adding that the time limit for the ad-hoc division to deliver the verdict has been extended.
“By application of Article 18 of the CAS Arbitration Rules for the Olympic Games, the President of the CAS Ad Hoc Division extends the time-limit for the Panel to give a decision until 16 August 2024 at 18h00 (Paris time),” CAS’s ad-hoc division said in a statement.
What does it mean?
Senior counselor Vidushpat Singhania, who represented Vinesh during the CAS hearing along with Harish Salve, said that CAS is always quick to deliver a verdict but the fact that the deadline in Vinesh Phgat’s case had been extended more than once means they are thinking about the matter “seriously”.
He also remains hopeful of a favourable verdict.
“We all believe. Yes, the ad-hoc panel of the CAS has a time limit of 24 hours. The fact that they have extended the verdict deadline more than once means they are thinking about his matter seriously. if the Arbitrator madam is thinking about it, it’s good for us,” Singhania said.
“I have fought many cases at the CAS in the past. The success rate at CAS is very low. In this matter, we are asking for a landmark decision from the arbitrator. It’s a little difficult, but let’s hope something big happens,” he added.
“Let’s all pray for Vinesh. Let’s hope she gets a medal. Even if she doesn’t get it, she is a champion.”