India’s campaign at the Paris Olympics concluded on Saturday with a total of six medals—one silver and five bronze. However, the nation is holding its breath for a possible seventh medal, which could tie their record for the best-ever Olympic performance set at the Tokyo Games. The outcome hinges on the decision from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), where Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat has appealed for the silver medal after being disqualified from the gold-medal bout in the women’s 50kg freestyle category.
Vinesh was disqualified on Wednesday after being found 100 grams overweight during the morning weigh-in. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has since filed an appeal against the decision made by United World Wrestling (UWW) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Vinesh virtually attended the CAS hearing on Friday, which lasted nearly three hours. The Indian side was represented by senior advocates Harish Salve and Vidushpat Singhania, with Dr. Annabelle Bennett AC SC from Australia serving as the sole arbitrator in the case.
Vinesh Phogat made history by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach an Olympic final after winning three consecutive bouts, including a victory against the world’s top-ranked wrestler, Yui Susaki of Japan. Although she was within the permissible weight limit during the initial weigh-in before the preliminary rounds, her weight reportedly increased by almost three kilograms by Tuesday night. The Indian team attributed this to the distance between the competition venue and the Athletes Village, combined with the tight schedule between her bouts.
In a desperate attempt to meet the weight requirement, Vinesh and her support team spent the night before the final trying to shed the excess weight. Despite efforts that included jogging, skipping, and even cutting her hair and drawing blood, Vinesh was still found to be 100 grams over the allowed limit.
Vinesh’s legal team argued that the slight excess in weight was due to natural physiological processes and should not have disqualified her, as it did not offer any competitive advantage. They also highlighted that the 100-gram excess was negligible and could easily result from factors such as bloating due to summer heat or muscle mass increase from competing in three bouts the same day. They called for the application of the principle of proportionality, arguing that disqualification was a disproportionate response to such a minor infraction.
Despite facing criticism for its handling of the situation, the IOA has strongly backed Vinesh in her appeal for the silver medal. IOA President PT Usha reaffirmed the association’s unwavering support, stating that it is their duty to stand by Vinesh during this crucial time.
The CAS is expected to announce its final decision on Vinesh’s plea on August 13, and the entire nation awaits the verdict with bated breath. If successful, India could match their best-ever Olympic medal tally, bringing an end to the Paris Games on a historic note.
