The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) recently conducted a three-hour hearing to address Vinesh Phogat's appeal regarding her disqualification from the Olympics for exceeding the weight limit during the women’s 50kg wrestling event. Phogat, a prominent Indian wrestler, participated in the virtual proceedings, presenting her case to the tribunal and contesting the violation of competition rules based on her weight gain.
Phogat's legal team, comprising distinguished attorneys Harish Salve and Vidushpat Singhania, argued that the weight increment was a natural consequence of her body's recovery process, disassociating it from any fraudulent intent. They emphasized Phogat's right to manage her body and highlighted that her weight was initially within the specified limit at the commencement of the competition. With Dr. Annabelle Bennett from Australia presiding as the Sole Arbitrator overseeing the case, the hearing attracted widespread attention during the ongoing Paris Olympics.
Representatives from the United World Wrestling (UWW) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) also had their opportunity to present arguments during the CAS hearing, each side allotted over an hour for deliberation. Anticipation surrounds the forthcoming initial ruling by the CAS, with a detailed written decision expected to be issued subsequently to address the complex legal nuances of the case involving Phogat's disqualification.