Vinesh Phogat could still win the silver medal at the Paris Olympics. The wrestler had filed for an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) following her disqualification. Due to being 100 gm overweight on the day of her final bout, she wasn’t allowed to face America’s Sarah Hildebrandt, and her semifinal opponent, Yusneylys Guzmán, advanced to the final and subsequently lost.
Vinesh had appealed that she be allowed to participate in the gold medal match, but given that Hildebrandt had already won, that wasn’t accepted. However, her second appeal, where she requested to be awarded as a joint-silver medalist in the women’s 50kg weight category, might be granted. The CAS will review Vinesh Phogat’s appeal at 6 PM CET (9:30 PM IST) in Paris. Four lawyers will represent the wrestler; the litigation may go on for a few days, and the verdict isn’t expected to come today.
Vinesh Phogat’s dream run and despair
Vinesh had started her Paris Olympics journey by beating 4-time World Champions and Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Yui Susaki in the round of 16. The Japanese pugilist was on an 82-match win streak and is widely regarded as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time.
She followed her miracle victory over Susaki by beating Ukaraine’s Oksana Livach in the quarterfinal and then easily beating Guzmán 5-0 in the semifinal. Vinesh had already become the first Indian female wrestler to reach a final at the Olympics, and a medal was confirmed.
The next morning, she was disqualified for missing weight. The 29-year-old didn’t sleep all night, didn’t drink or sleep after her semifinal, and even thought of drawing her blood out to lose weight. But nothing worked. Soon after, she was hospitalized due to dehydration. Now, when all hope is lost, a ray of sunshine has emerged.
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