United World Wrestling (UWW) President Nenad Lalovic reportedly expressed skepticism about the results being overturned, stressing that the UWW was merely following established rules.
Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s fate will be determined not on the wrestling mat, but in the courtroom today. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is set to rule on her appeal, a decision that could potentially award her a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Vinesh Phogat’s Olympic dream was shattered when she was disqualified from the 50kg freestyle wrestling final for exceeding the weight limit by just 100 grams. The disqualification was a heartbreaking setback, but it didn’t end her fight.
Vinesh appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), seeking to overturn the decision and potentially secure a shared silver medal. However, United World Wrestling (UWW) President Nenad Lalovic reportedly expressed skepticism about the outcome, emphasizing that the UWW was simply following established rules.
“The weigh-in was public, and everyone saw it. How can we allow someone to compete when the rules were clearly broken in front of everyone? We have no choice but to adhere to our rules,” Lalovic stated in a TV interview.
He also ruled out the possibility of a major overhaul of the weigh-in rules. “We introduced that rule to protect the health of athletes. Competitors must adhere to the weight regulations to compete. While some minor adjustments might be considered, we are not changing the rules. Our medical commission advises us, and they are strongly against any changes,” Lalovic stated.
The argument from Vinesh’s legal team centers on a crucial loophole in the UWW rulebook. Vinesh had advanced to the final by staying within the weight limit on the first day of the competition. Her case hinges on the fact that despite her disqualification, Japan’s Yui Susaki, whom Vinesh had defeated earlier, was allowed to compete in the repechage rounds. This highlights an inconsistency in the application of the rules, which Vinesh’s team is looking to exploit, according to a report by Revsportz.
If Vinesh’s disqualification meant she was no longer considered a finalist, on what basis was Susaki allowed to compete for a medal? This is the loophole that Vinesh’s team hopes to exploit, according to the report. BT could not independently verify this information.
Disheartened by her disqualification due to weight issues, Vinesh Phogat announced her retirement from wrestling.
She posted on X (formerly Twitter) in Hindi, writing, “Mother, wrestling has defeated me; I have lost. Forgive me, for your dreams and my strength have been shattered. I no longer have the strength. Goodbye wrestling 2001-2024. I will always be indebted to you all for your forgiveness.”
As the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) prepares to announce its verdict, the wrestling community is on edge. Will this loophole be enough to turn the outcome in Vinesh’s favor and allow her to share the silver medal with Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez? The answer is just moments away.
