The suspense over the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s decision on Vinesh Phogat’s appeal for Olympic silver continues. Earlier, it was said that the verdict would be declared on Saturday at 9:30 pm IST. Now it has been postponed. In a chaotic turn of events on Saturday, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) first declared that the verdict will be out on Sunday (11 August) before issuing a clarification to say that the result will be known by 13 August. at CAS against her disqualification from the women’s 50kg freestyle final at the Olympic Games for being 100 grams overweight.
An initial statement from the IOA read: “The ad hoc division of the CAS has extended the time until 6pm on August 11, 2024, for the Sole Abritator Hon. Dr. Annabelle Bennett at Vinesh Phogat vs. United World Wrestling & the International Committee Olympic to issue a decision. The reasoned order will be issued later.”
The CAS later released a new statement saying the deadline for the panel to deliver a verdict was August 13. “By application of Article 18 of the CAS Arbitration Rules for the Olympic Games, the President of the CAS Ad Hoc Division extends the deadline for the panel to make a decision until 13 August 2024 at 18:00 (Paris time),” it said the CAS in a statement.
Afterwards, the IOA also issued a new statement. saying: “The ad-hoc division of the CAS has extended the time for the sole arbitrator, Dr. Annabelle Bennett, in the case of Vinesh Phogat vs. United World Wrestling and the International Olympic Committee to make a decision until 6pm on August 13, 2024.
“The reference to August 11th in the previous communication sent by me was to the deadline given to all parties to present any additional documents before the Sole Arbitrator.”
Meanwhile, Japanese Olympic champion King Higuchi offered his support to Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat, who was excluded from his Paris Games final for being 100g over the prescribed limit. Higuchi, gold medalist in the men’s 57kg freestyle event, was eliminated from the Tokyo Olympic qualifiers three years ago because he was just 50 grams overweight. He ended up losing a fight in the playoffs and was unable to compete in the home Olympics despite being highly rated at that time.
“I understand your pain better. The same 50g. Don’t worry about the voices around you. Life goes on. Overcoming setbacks is the most beautiful thing. Rest well,” Higuchi, who defeated India’s Aman Sehrawat in the 57kg semi-finals of the freestyle category on his way to his gold, he wrote in X while commenting on the announcement of Vinesh’s retirement.
Before the gold in Paris, Higuchi had won silver at the Rio 2016 Games.
“I went through a setback and despair, but I managed to succeed by believing in myself. Still, I don’t think I could have won the gold medal with my efforts alone,” said Higuchi, quoted by ‘Japan News’. when recalling the Tokyo disaster, for which he blamed his fondness for junk food at that time.
With PTI inputs
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