Vinesh Phogat celebrates victory against Yusneylis Lopez during the Wrestling Women’s Freestyle 50kg Semifinal (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
Phogat weighed a bit over the permissible limit during the weigh-in on the day of the final and was handed a disqualified result which meant that the grappler would return home empty-handed. Phogat has launched the appeal seeking to be handed the silver medal following her historic run to the final.
Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat, who was disqualified from the 50 Kg freestyle final at the Paris Olympics 2024 on Wednesday, is set to launch an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The 29-year-old wrestler weighed a bit over the permissible limit during the weigh-in on the day of the final and was handed a disqualified result. The DQ meant that the Indian grappler would return home empty-handed.
The wrestler has launched the appeal seeking to be handed the silver medal following her historic run to the final.
CAS has asked till tomorrow morning, Thursday 11:30 am IST, to give its final verdict. If the Court of Arbitration for Sport rules in favour of Phogat, the IOC will have to award a joint silver to the Indian grappler as the CAS decision is binding.
The CAS is an international body set up in Switzerland to resolve disputes that might arise in the world of sports.
Phogat scripted history on Tuesday as she became the first Indian woman to reach the final of a wrestling event at the Olympics.
Phogat caused a stir at the quadrennial showpiece in France as she downed reigning Olympic gold-medallist Yui Susaki in her Round of 16 bout before extending her winning run win a triumph over Ukraine’s Oksana Livach in the quarterfinals. Phogat secured a medal for herself and the nation with a dominant win over Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez in the semis to book her berth in the summit clash.
However, as fate would have it, she failed to make weight on day two, Wednesday, of the event during the weigh-in and had to be disqualified as she missed the mark by a mere 100 grams.
She went to extreme lengths to bring her weight below the stipulated limit as she pulled out all the stops but ended just barely over the permissible weight limit.
Following the DQ result, Phogat garnered support from across the globe as fans, followers and legends of the sport rallied for the Indian wrestler to be awarded the silver medal.
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