Vinesh Phogat CAS appeal highlights: IOA president PT Usha says onus on athlete and coach to make weight

The CAS will deliver its final verdict on Vinesh Phogat’s appeal on August 13. Stay tuned for the updates. 

“The hate directed at the IOA medical team, especially Dr. Pardiwala, is unacceptable and worthy of condemnation, She (Usha) hope that those rushing to judge the IOA medical team would consider all facts before arriving at any conclusions.”

The IOA president said that association appointed a medical team a couple of months ago, primarily as a team that would assist in the recovery and injury management of athletes during and after their competition. This team was also designed to support athletes who did not have their own team of nutritionists and physiotherapists. 

“The responsibility of weight management of athletes in sport like wrestling, weightlifting, boxing and judo is that of each athlete and his or her coach and NOT that of the IOA-appointed Chief Medical Officer Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala and his team,” the IOA statement issued on Sunday read.

This will be a historic judgement if the CAS rules in Vinesh’s favour. Her appeal is for the disqualification to be retracted and for a joint-silver to be awarded for her making the gold medal bout and following the rules. 

She made weight on the morning of the first day of the competition and ended up missing the weight on the second day by a whisker — a little over 100g. 

If CAS decides to rule in Vinesh’s favour, she will be awarded a joint-silver in the women’s 50kg freestyle category. This is unprecedented in wrestling. 

Vinesh’s legal team has French lawyers Joelle Monlouis, Estelle Ivanova, Habbine Estelle Kim and Charles Amson who helped her and IOA during the filing of the application. They have been provided to her by the Paris Bar and are handling the case pro bono. 

In addition, senior counsels Harish Salve and Vidushpat Singhania have also been roped in to oversee the case. Salve served as the Solicitor General of India from 1999 to 2003. He also represented India before the International Court of Justice in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case.

CASE 2

Defending champion Canadian women’s football team’s staff flew drones over New Zealand’s training sessions before its opening match. Canada was docked six points, while coach Bev Priestman and officials Joseph Lombardi and Jasmine Mander were banned from any football-related activity for one year by FIFA. 

Canadian Olympic Committee and Canada Soccer appealed against the decision and asked for the cancellation or reduction in points deducted. CAS rejected the appeal.

CASE 1

CAS rejected the appeal by Brazilian Olympic Committee and Brazilian Football Confederation regarding women’s player Marta, who had received a straight red card during the match against Spain and thus, got a two-match suspension. 

Brazil appealed for the suspension to be reduced to one game so that she could play in the semifinals but CAS rejected it.

“We should be more strict on that because we have a problem that you are living in this moment. The wrestlers are losing too much weight, and it’s not good for their health. Many have seen their interest at the moment, but they don’t see what happens in 20–30 years. We want athletes to compete in their natural weight. That’s the idea. This is when they make the best performances.” 

“Unfortunately, it’s a second case here. We had an Italian wrestler the previous day who didn’t make the weight, and she didn’t compete,” said Lalovic.

“If you allow this 100 grams, then you would be allowed 200 grams. There is no end.”

“No, if you ask in such a general way. But allow me to comment on this individual case. There the regulations of the international federation have to be followed and the international federation, United World Wrestling (UWW), was taking this decision.”

“Looking at the federation or anybody to take such a decision, when and where do you make the cut? Do you say with 100gms, we give it but with 102(gms), we don’t give it anymore?”

“What do you do then in sports where you have differences of one-thousandths of a second (in track events). Do you also then apply such deliberations?” he added.

Sports law expert Vidushpat Singhania, who is now assisting the IOA on this case with CAS, had this to say about a negative verdict coming Vinesh’s way,

“Technically, you can appeal a decision of CAS in the Swiss courts. But your chances of success are very low because it has to be against public policy. The appeal can only be made on the grounds that a fair process was not followed, which is unlikely. Hence, on can assume that the CAS verdict is final.

If CAS decides not to change the medal decisions, could CAS reinstate Vinesh’s wins in the preliminary stages? Her disqualification made her wins null and void, especially the stunning victory over top seed Yui Susaki.

The medals for the women’s 50kg freestyle category have been given out in the 2024 Paris Olympics, but the event has not been put to rest just yet. Vinesh Phogat, who was disqualified from the gold medal bout due to missing the required weight by 100g, has moved the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s (CAS) ad-hoc panel sitting in Paris to consider awarding her joint-silver for her run to the final clash.

The hearing in this case was scheduled for Friday, August 9, with both parties — Vinesh’s legal counsel and United World Wrestling — set to make their arguments. But the date of the final verdict has now been pushed to August 13, Tuesday, two days afte the formal closing of the Games. 

Welcome to live updates from Vinesh Phogat’s appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport where she has moved the ad-hoc committee against her disqualification in the women’s 50kg category.