Vinesh Phogat's Unyielding Spirit: Champion Status Undeterred by CAS Verdict

Vinesh Phogat's advocate underscores her champion status regardless of the Court of Arbitration in Sport's (CAS) upcoming verdict. Despite disqualification from the Paris Olympics final, Phogat's career achievements remain noteworthy. IOA President Dr PT Usha addresses weight management responsibilities and defends the IOA medical team against criticism.

Vidushpat Singhania, the lawyer representing wrestler Vinesh Phogat, emphasized that Phogat remains a champion regardless of the impending verdict from the Court of Arbitration in Sport (CAS) concerning her Paris Olympics medal dispute. Phogat was disqualified from the Paris Olympics final for a minor weight limit breach. Subsequently, she announced her retirement from the sport. Despite the setback, Phogat's journey to the finals included a dominant 5-0 victory over Cuba's Yusneylis Guzman Lopez in the semi-finals. She was slated to face Sarah Ann Hildebrandt of the United States for the gold medal before her disqualification. Significantly, Phogat also triumphed over Tokyo 2020 champion Yui Susaki of Japan in the round of 16.

In the aftermath of her disqualification from the women's 50 kg final, Phogat appealed to CAS for a silver medal. The verdict is anticipated by 9:30 PM IST. Addressing the media, Singhania remarked, 'The hearing took place on August 9, and we await the verdict by 9.30 pm tonight. Vinesh was represented by a team of four lawyers, with United World Wrestling (UWW) and the International Olympic Committee as respondents while the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) is an interested party. We hope for a favorable decision, but Vinesh remains a champion irrespective of CAS's decision and deserves respect.'

The CAS has established a specialized ad hoc division in Paris, chaired by President Michael Lenard from the US, to adjudicate Olympic cases. This division operates within the Paris judicial court in the 17th arrondissement. In an emotional message on social media, Phogat expressed her sense of gratitude and heartbreak over her retirement, saying, 'Maa kushti (wrestling) won against me, I lost. Please forgive me; your dream and my courage have been broken. I don't have any more strength now. Goodbye Wrestling 2001-2024. I will always be indebted to you all for forgiveness.'

Throughout her illustrious career, Vinesh Phogat earned two World Championships bronze medals (2019, 2022), an Asian Games gold (2018) and bronze (2014), and three Commonwealth Games gold medals (2014, 2018, 2022). She also achieved gold in the Asian Championships (2021) and secured silver and bronze at the continental level. IOA President Dr PT Usha clarified the responsibility of weight management in sports such as wrestling, emphasizing that it falls on each athlete and their coach, rather than the IOA-appointed Chief Medical Officer, Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala, and his team.

Dr Usha reiterated that each Indian athlete at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games has their own support team, working with them for years. The IOA-appointed medical team, established a few months ago, primarily assists in injury recovery and management during and after competitions. This team also supports athletes lacking personal nutritionists and physiotherapists. Dr Usha condemned the unwarranted criticism directed at the IOA medical team, particularly Dr Pardiwala, urging a fair assessment of the situation based on all available facts.