Vinesh Phogat CAS hearing verdict: Deadline AGAIN extended; decision to be announced on August 16
This follows an initial delay, with fans expecting an announcement from CAS today (August 13) by 9:30 PM (IST).
Updated : August 13, 2024 09:46 PM ISTThis follows an initial delay, with fans expecting an announcement from CAS today (August 13) by 9:30 PM (IST).
Vinesh Phogat CAS hearing verdict
While all of India was waiting for the verdict from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) regarding Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat's potential silver medal after her disqualification from the gold-medal bout, it has been announced that there will be another delay.
Vinesh was disqualified for being 100 grams overweight on the day of the final and contested this decision through an appeal to CAS in Paris. CAS has extended their deadline to August 16 at 9:30 PM. This follows an initial delay, with fans expecting an announcement from CAS today (August 13) by 9:30 PM (IST).
CAS in their statement on the date extension said, "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)".
Decision on the Silver medal of Vinesh Phogat has been extended to August 16th...!!! [RevSportz] pic.twitter.com/LDFh4viKGC
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) August 13, 2024
Vinesh Phogat CAS hearing:
On August 7, Vinesh was disqualified from the women's 50kg wrestling final at the Paris Olympics 2024 due to being just over 100 grams of the allowed 50kgs. She first contested this decision through an appeal to CAS in Paris and also departed from the Olympic Games village on Saturday (August 10). She then submitted a second application in which she asked to get a joint silver medal.
On August 7, Vinesh was declared officially disqualified by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and Guzman Yusneylys of Cuba, who had lost to Vinesh in the semifinal, was moved up to the gold medal match. In the end, Yusneylys was defeated by American Sarah Ann Hilderbrandt.
Vinesh's appeal was lodged by an ad-hoc division of CAS, which also heard arguments from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), United World Wrestling, the IOC, and other interested parties. The case was overseen by Australia's lone arbitrator, Dr Annabelle Bennett, for nearly three hours on Saturday.
The deadline was extended by an extra 24 hours for the parties to provide further evidence and 72 hours for the solitary arbitrator to provide a decision, even though the ad-hoc division had intended to issue a conclusion on that day. It is then anticipated that Vinesh Phogat's appeal will be decided by Tuesday, August 13.
Senior attorneys Vidushpat Singhania and Harish Salve from Vinesh's defence team contended that the weight gain seen on the last day was a natural healing process for the body rather than a deliberate lie. They argued that on the first day of the tournament, her weight was within the allowed limit and that the weight gain was a typical aspect of recuperation rather than dishonest behaviour.
Dear @Phogat_Vinesh
— Rahul Mehra (@TheRahulMehra) August 13, 2024
Irrespective of today’s CAS verdict in a couple of hours from now you have created a special place in every Indians heart.
You have redefined the words resilience, courage, perseverance and grit👌
You are going to be remembered forever by all🤗#Champion pic.twitter.com/yGo2wIN7ax
How strict is the CAS with rules?
The CAS is an independent, global organization that uses mediation and arbitration to settle legal problems about sports. For sports disputes, CAS is frequently referred to as the "Supreme Court" due to its final and binding rulings and minimal appeals process. It is renowned for its stringent respect for legal norms, procedural guidelines, and impartiality when it comes to arbitrating conflicts involving sports.
The applicable sports federations, associations, or leagues' laws and regulations are carefully adhered to by CAS. It applies well-established legal concepts to the interpretation of these regulations, rarely overturning them unless proven to contradict more general legal precepts such as due process or fundamental rights.
The majority of CAS decisions are in line with its earlier decisions, which contributes to the stability and predictability of the sports legal system.