The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) recently held a hearing to address the appeal of Vinesh Phogat, an Indian wrestler who was disqualified from the Olympics for being 100 grams over the weight limit during the weigh-in for her gold medal match in the women's 50kg wrestling event. Phogat, participating virtually, presented her case to the tribunal, contending that her weight gain was a result of her body's natural recovery process and not an intentional breach of competition regulations.
Phogat's legal representatives, including prominent attorneys Harish Salve and Vidushpat Singhania, argued on her behalf, emphasizing her right to manage her body and asserting that her weight was within the permissible limit at the start of the competition. Dr. Annabelle Bennett from Australia presided as the Sole Arbitrator overseeing the case, which has garnered considerable attention during the ongoing Paris Olympics, where the incident occurred.
During the hearing, both Phogat's legal team and representatives from the United World Wrestling (UWW) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) presented their arguments, each given a substantial amount of time to make their case. The CAS is expected to render an initial decision soon, with a detailed written ruling to follow, determining the outcome of Phogat's appeal and her standing in the Olympic tournament.