Paris Olympics 2024: CAS accepts protest appeal against disqualification from Vinesh Phogat

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) accepted Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat's appeal against her disqualification at the Paris Olympics 2024 on Thursday. The hearing will start at 5:30 PM IST.

The hearing will be conducted online

Joelle Monlouis, Estelle Ivanova, Habbine Estelle Kim, and Charles Amson will be the lawyers representing Vinesh at the CAS hearing. The hearing will be conducted online. If Vinesh wins the appeal, she will be awarded a joint-silver medal. If she loses, the disqualification will stand, and she will finish in last place.

Vinesh found overweight

Vinesh Phogat stormed into the final after three sensational wins in the women's 50kg category and boosted India's hopes for the first gold at the 33rd Summer Games. But Vinesh's weight was found to be 100 grams more than her prescribed category of 50kg.

After this, the Olympic Association disqualified her from the freestyle women's wrestling final against USA's Sarah Hildebrandt and was denied a silver as well. The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and IOA strongly protested against the disqualification and the wrestler approached the Court of Arbitration on Wednesday.

Vinesh took retirement

A day after her disqualification from the Paris Olympics 2024, Vinesh Phogat announced her retirement from wrestling on X. 

Phogat was favored to win a historic gold medal and was assured of at least a silver before the disqualification. However, being disqualified due to weight meant that none of her earlier victories counted, and she returned home without a medal.