Vinesh, 29, was disqualified in the morning of the women’s 50kg freestyle final. | Photo: Reuters
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), in rejecting wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s appeal against her disqualification, reasoned that it is the athlete’s responsibility to stay within the weight limit and no relief can be provided on that grounds, but called the consequence of failing to make the weigh-in on the second day “draconian”.
Vinesh was disqualified from the Paris Olympics after failing to make weight on the second day of competition. On August 8, Vinesh was scheduled to compete in the gold medal match in the women’s 50kg category, but was found to be 100g overweight.
UWW rules state that a wrestler must pass the weigh-in on both days of the competition. While the UWW allows a 2kg weight tolerance in many international competitions, such as the Ranking Series event, there is no such allowance at the Olympics.
Vinesh had become the first Indian wrestler to qualify for the Olympic finals and her disqualification created a stir in the wrestling world, especially after her shock victory over the legendary Yui Susaki, who had not lost a single fight in her international career before meeting Vinesh.
“…..the Sole Arbitrator has concluded that the Claimant, of her own free will, entered the 50 kg wrestling category and was well aware that this required her to maintain a competition weight below 50 kg.
“Article 7 of the Regulations pertinently provides that each contestant is deemed to be participating of his own free will and is responsible for himself and is entitled to compete only in one weight category, that corresponding to his weight at the time of the official weigh-in,” the detailed CAS order, which was published on Monday, states.
“The applicant is an experienced fighter who had previously competed under the rules. There is no evidence to the contrary, nor any evidence on the part of the athlete that she did not understand the weight requirements.
“She voluntarily entered the 50kg category and, according to evidence, undertook to follow a regimen to stay within that weight limit. Her evidence was that she did not have sufficient time to complete a weight loss programme, not that she in any way considered it interfered with her bodily rights.”
An ad hoc chamber of the CAS rejected his appeal on 14 August, a decision that came after three postponements.
In her appeal, Vinesh had demanded that she be given a joint silver with Cuban wrestler Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, who lost to her in the semi-finals but was promoted to the showpiece after her disqualification.
The gold medal went to American Sarah Ann Hildebrandt.
“The consequences of the second failed weigh-in, which do not arise from any illegal or unlawful act on the part of the claimant, are, in the opinion of the Sole Arbitrator, draconian.
“A consequence of elimination without qualification from the round for which the athlete was deemed ineligible, having been eligible for the rounds for which he or she competed, would appear to be a fairer solution.”
Vinesh returned to India on Saturday to a hero’s welcome.
First published: August 19, 2024 | 10:14 PM IS
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