Why did Vinesh Phogat lose the case? CAS gave the full decision

Paris Olympic 2024: India's well-known wrestler Vinesh Phogat, who participated in the Paris Olympics, came to a crucial juncture when she was disqualified for exceeding her weight limit. Vinesh appealed against this decision in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), but she was disappointed there too. Her appeal was rejected, and as a result she did not even get a chance to jointly win the silver medal with Cuban wrestler Yusnelis Guzman Lopez. Now the full copy of the CAS decision has come out, which clearly explains the reasons behind this decision.

Why was Vinesh Phogat's appeal rejected?

According to CAS, it is mandatory for any athlete to stay below their weight limit, and no exception is acceptable in this. The court clarified in its decision that it is clearly written in the rules that there is a certain weight limit for each player, and it cannot be allowed to exceed it. Along with this, CAS said about Vinesh's appeal, "There is no dispute that Vinesh Phogat's weight was more than the prescribed limit." During the hearing, Vinesh herself admitted that her weight was 100 grams more. She argued that exemption should be given for such a small difference, but the court did not accept it.

CAS also clarified that it is the personal responsibility of the player to maintain the weight. The court also added that according to the rules, violation of the upper limit of weight cannot be accepted under any circumstances, even if it is a minor difference.

How did Vinesh's weight increase?

Vinesh Phogat made her place in the final by performing brilliantly in the semi-finals on August 6. However, something unexpected happened to her before the final, which increased her weight by about 3 kg. Vinesh worked hard overnight to lose weight, which included training, gym sessions, sauna sessions. She even extracted her blood and cut her hair, but in the end her weight remained 100 grams more than the prescribed limit.

Vinesh Phogat's demand and CAS's decision

In her appeal, Vinesh had demanded that she be given the silver medal jointly with Cuban wrestler Yusnelis Guzman Lopez, as the Cuban wrestler had lost to her in the semi-finals. After Vinesh's disqualification, Yusnelis got a chance to play in the final, and the gold medal in the 50 kg category was won by American wrestler Sarah Ann Hildebrandt.

The CAS decision has made it clear that it is mandatory to follow the rules in sports, and no player, no matter how big he is, can be above the rules. Vinesh Phogat's defeat has sent a message in the sports world that athletes will have to pay special attention to their fitness and weight management, so that such incidents can be avoided in future.