The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has extended the deadline for its ruling on whether Vinesh Phogat will be awarded a silver medal after her disqualification from the Paris Olympics. The new deadline is set for August 13, 2024.
According to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), CAS has allowed additional time for the final decision, which will be announced by 6:00 PM Paris time (9:30 PM IST) on Tuesday, August 13.
“The ad hoc division of CAS has extended the time for the Sole Arbitrator, Hon. Dr. Annabelle Bennett, to deliver a verdict in the case of Vinesh Phogat vs. United World Wrestling & the International Olympic Committee until 6:00 PM on August 13, 2024,” the IOA stated.
The earlier reference to August 11 in the IOA’s communication pertained to the deadline for submitting additional documents to the sole arbitrator.
Mahavir Phogat, Vinesh’s uncle and a renowned figure in Indian wrestling, commented on the delay, stating, “We have been waiting for three days. Whenever the decision comes, we will be happy.”
Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the Paris Olympics final for slightly exceeding the weight limit, which led to her announcing her retirement from wrestling. She had advanced to the gold medal match after defeating Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez 5-0 in the semi-finals but was disqualified before facing the United States’ Sarah Ann Hildebrandt for the gold. Phogat had earlier achieved a significant win by defeating Tokyo 2020 champion Yui Susaki of Japan in the round of 16.
Following her disqualification, Phogat petitioned CAS to award her the silver medal.
CAS has established an ad hoc division in Paris, led by President Michael Lenard of the US, to handle Olympic cases. This division operates within the Paris judicial court in the 17th arrondissement.