Vinesh Phogat unsure of future, hints at 2032 goal after heartbreaking Paris ordeal
Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat issued her first statement via an emotional post.
After the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Wednesday rejected her appeal against her disqualification from the 50kg category final at the Paris Olympics. Vinesh was disqualified from the 50kg women’s freestyle wrestling final after failing to make weight on the day of the gold medal match and her appeal for a joint-silver medal was dismissed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Wednesday.
Vinesh Phogat shared a heartfelt message on her social media account, reflecting on her wrestling journey from childhood and the unwavering support she received from her parents and family, despite numerous setbacks and heartbreaks. Vinesh also expressed gratitude to her support staff, including Dinshaw Padiwalla, the Chief Medical Officer appointed by the IOA for the Indian contingent at the Paris Olympics 2024.
In her post, Vinesh recounted her early dreams, her father’s hopes, and her mother’s struggles, which shaped her resilience. The Indian wrestler credited her husband, Somvir, for being her unwavering support through the highs and lows. Disqualification from the wrestling final disheartened Vinesh, leading her to announce her retirement from the sport, stating she no longer had the strength to continue.
“Maybe under different circumstances, I could see myself playing till 2032, because the fight in me and wrestling in me will always be there. I can’t predict what the future holds for me, and what awaits me in this journey next, but I am sure that I will continue to fight always for what I believe in and for the right thing,” Vinesh wrote in the concluding part of that note.
IOA CONFIRMS CAS REJECTION
On Wednesday, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) announced that the ad-hoc division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejected Vinesh Phogat’s appeal against her disqualification from the Olympic Games. This decision ended her hopes of being awarded a joint silver medal in the women’s 50kg wrestling category. Vinesh was disqualified for exceeding the permissible weight limit by 100 grams during the weigh-in on the morning of August 7, just before her historic gold-medal bout against Sarah Ann Hildebrandt of the USA.
Vinesh Phogat had made history as the first Indian woman wrestler to reach an Olympic final, securing at least a silver medal. However, her disqualification came as a devastating blow, stripping the 29-year-old of not only a shot at gold but also a podium finish. According to UWW rules, any wrestler who fails the weigh-in at any stage of the competition is immediately disqualified, with all previous wins nullified.
WHAT HAPPENED IN CAS HEARING?
Dr. Annabelle Bennett, the Sole Arbitrator of the ad-hoc division of the CAS, extended the deadline for the decision multiple times, allowing all parties involved—applicant Vinesh Phogat, respondents United World Wrestling and the International Olympic Committee, as well as the Indian Olympic Association, which participated as an interested party—to submit additional evidence supporting their arguments.
Dr. Bennett heard the arguments from both sides during a three-hour hearing on August 9, following Vinesh Phogat’s appeal, which was registered a day earlier. While Vinesh’s initial appeal was filed by French pro-bono lawyers, the IOA brought in senior counsels Harish Salve and Vidushpat Singhania to represent her at the hearing.
The lawyers argued that Vinesh’s weight gain on Tuesday evening was due to the body’s natural recovery process, asserting that it is an athlete’s fundamental right to care for their body. They emphasized that her weight was within the prescribed limit on Day 1 of the competition and that the subsequent weight gain occurred due to recovery, not any fraudulent activity.
WHAT WAS VINESH’S APPEAL?
Vinesh initially appealed to the CAS ad-hoc bench to nullify her disqualification, request a new weigh-in, and allow her to compete in the final. However, she did not seek urgent interim measures. The CAS delivered a swift verdict but couldn’t hear the parties before the final. Vinesh later clarified that she wanted the disqualification reversed and a joint silver medal awarded. Despite empathizing with her, UWW chief Nenad Lalovic stated in an interview with India Today that the disqualification followed the rules.