Vinesh Phogat’s quest for justice took another turn when the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) postponed its verdict on her appeal for a joint silver medal in the women’s 50kg wrestling category at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Disqualified for being 100 grams overweight on the morning of her gold medal bout, Phogat and her team were hoping for a quick resolution. They, along with Indian fans, were awaiting the outcome with bated breath after the hearing on August 9. However, the decision has now been delayed for the third time, with the CAS rescheduling the verdict for August 16 at 6:00 pm Paris time, or 9:30 pm IST.
Vinesh Phogat Medal Case: Why is the verdict being postponed for the third time?
According to Article 20 of the CAS Rules, a decision should normally be issued within 24 hours of the hearing. According to this criterion, the judgment in Phogat’s case should have been issued by 9 August. However, CAS has cited Article 18 to explain the delay, which allows for an extension of the decision period in exceptional circumstances.
Article 18 gives the President or Vice-President of CAS the authority to postpone the announcement of the verdict if he or she deems it necessary due to specific circumstances. The Ad Hoc Division of CAS has officially communicated that, in accordance with Article 18 of the CAS Arbitration Rules for the Olympic Games, the deadline for the panel’s decision has been extended until 16 August 2024, at 18:00 Paris time.
Vinesh Phogat could win the battle
Phogat’s lawyer, Vidushpat Singhania, has suggested that the repeated delays could indicate that CAS is seriously considering the case. He expressed optimism that the extended deadline could be a positive sign, suggesting that the panel is carefully deliberating the matter.
“We all believe that the repeated extensions indicate that the CAS panel is seriously considering the case. If the arbitrator takes more time, it could be in our favour,” Singhania said. This continued anticipation reflects the high stakes and intense scrutiny surrounding Phogat’s appeal, which seeks to rectify the unfortunate situation and potentially secure a silver medal.
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