The decision on Vinesh Phogat’s silver medal has been postponed till August 16
#News Bureau August 13,2014
Whether Vinesh Phogat will get the silver medal or not, could not be decided even on Tuesday. Now its hearing will be held on August 16. In the case of winning the silver medal in the women’s wrestling 50 kg event, the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) said that now this date has been fixed on August 16 at 6 pm Paris time.
Citing Article 18 of the CAS Arbitration Rules, it has been said that, ‘The panel will give a decision within 24 hours of filing the application. In exceptional cases, this time limit may be extended by the President of the Ad Hoc Division according to the circumstances.’ After being disqualified from the gold medal match for being 100 grams over the prescribed weight, Vinesh Phogat, supported by the Indian Olympic Association, had appealed against the decision in CAS. This is the highest court of sports.
Just a week ago, Vinesh took the wrestling world by storm when she defeated defending champion and world number one Yui Susaki. Phogat became the first Indian woman wrestler to make it to an Olympic final. But the next morning she was knocked out of the women’s 50kg freestyle gold-medal bout as she was found to be 100 grams overweight.
Vinesh put in all her effort to lose the weight she had gained over the course of three bouts and suffered from dehydration, causing her to faint. She was admitted to a polyclinic inside the Games Village. Upon recovery, she appealed to CAS and demanded a joint silver medal with Cuban wrestler Yusnelis Guzman Lopez, who lost to Vinesh in the semi-finals but was awarded a place in the final after Vinesh was disqualified.
Even as India hopes for a positive decision from the CAS, sources have confirmed that Vinesh is feeling better since her disqualification last week. However, she has not spoken to anyone yet. “Vinesh is feeling a little better now, she has started eating a little. She is not talking to anyone though. We are all with her,” the source said.
Vinesh had stayed back in Paris due to her appeal to the CAS. The appeal was accepted early last week, and the wrestler was present during the hearing on Friday. She was represented by senior advocates Harish Salve and Vidushpat Singhania and Australia’s sole arbitrator Dr Annabelle Bennett heard all the arguments in the case during the three-hour hearing.
