No Wrongdoing By Vinesh Phogat, Consequences For Wrestlers Failing Second Weigh-In Are "Draconian": CAS

The Court of Arbitration for Sport's (CAS) sole arbitrator while denying Vinesh Phogat a joint-silver medal at the Paris Olympics 2024, has expressed that the Indian wrestler did not commit any indiscretion leading to her disqualification.

Phogat was disqualified after failing to qualify for her weigh-in on the second day, before her gold-medal match, measuring in at 100 grams above her permissible sub-50kg weight.

Following her disqualification, an appeal was lodged before the CAS, which was presided over by a sole arbitrator who heard arguments from all parties including Phogat, and United World Wrestling ('UWW') under whose rules the wrestler was disqualified.

While the operational verdict was delivered on 14th August, a detailed verdict was published today. In her verdict, the sole arbitrator stated that the Athlete entered the field of play and fought three rounds and reached the final of the 50 kg wrestling competition at the Games before she failed the second weigh-in and was ineligible to compete. There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing on her part.

The consequences of the failed second weigh-in, which do not arise from any illegal or wrongful act on the part of the Applicant are, in the opinion of the Sole Arbitrator, draconian, it was added.

The sole arbitrator further added that a consequence of elimination without ranking from the round for which the Athlete was found ineligible, having been eligible for the rounds for which she competed, would seem to be a fairer solution.

However, it was reiterated that due to the unavailability of any UWW policy of a similar nature, such relief could not be granted in Phogat's case.

The arbitrator also stated that she found merit in Phogat's plea that she should have been considered eligible for the rounds she qualified after the first day's weigh-in, instead of being disqualified from the entire competition, but stated that there was no discretion provided to the arbitrator under the UWW rules, and thus no relief could be granted to Phogat.

Background

Under the rules set out by United World Wrestling ('UWW'), the international body charged with overseeing wrestling events at the Olympics, wrestlers are weighed on both days when they compete in their bouts. Those who fail to make the weight in their category on either day are disqualified and lose their rank in the entire competition.

Reportedly, while Phogat had made the weight on day one of the competition, she was overweight on the second day, leading to her losing her position in the entire competition, despite having successfully reached the final by defeating all her opponents on day one- when she had made her requisite weight.

This eventually led to the wrestler not even being eligible for a silver medal despite having fairly competed to reach the finals.