The entire nation is saddened after the court of arbitration of sports dismissed Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s plea for a silver medal. “The Ad hoc Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport renders the following decision: The application filed by Vinesh Phogat on 7 August 2024 is dismissed” the order copy read.
Here is a sequence of events that took place from the time phogat was disqualified:
Within minutes of the decision coming to the fore about the disqualification, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dialled IOA President PT Usha. Not only did he get the first-hand information of what transpired, but the instructions were clear. “PM Modi asked her to explore the full range of options to help Vinesh’s case. He also urged PT Usha to file a strong protest regarding her disqualification if that helps Vinesh,” Government sources told Network 18.
Meanwhile, here’s a sequence of events of what was happening at the Paris Olympics:
Around 7:30 am in Paris, Vinesh was disqualified hours before the final match. This was in fact constantly being monitored by both the Indian Olympic Association, as well as the Wrestling Federation of India.
In no time after the entire episode and the conversation with the Prime Minister, the entire team of the IOA jumped into action. Realising that the time was vital, and every second would count, IOA along with the WFI immediately reached out to the international wrestling body for support.
By 9:30 am (local time), IOA and WFI had already made an appeal with an international body seeking support for Vinesh’s case.
“I am writing to express my concern regarding the recent decision to disqualify Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat. It has come to our attention that Vinesh was disqualified due to being 100 grams over the weight limit for her category. However, she performed exceptionally well in the competition and reached the final. We respectfully request a review of this decision, as Vinesh’s disqualification seems disproportionate considering her performance and the nature of the weight discrepancy,” Wrestling Federation of India wrote to the international body, UWW.
Vinesh was disappointed and infact she was exhausted. Given her health condition, she had to be rushed to a hospital. Apart from her family, IOA chief PT Usha rushed to be with her.
Meanwhile, a noted athlete himself, Gagan Narang, who is CDM for the Indian athletes in Olympics 2024, began working the phone lines with athletes and sports lawyers across Europe to help explore the options that can be used as a precedence in this case.
Mr Harish Salve argued on behalf of IOA in favour of Ms Vinesh Phogat. On the second day (August 8), the legal team of Mr Salve and Viduspat Singhania prepared the amicus brief by afternoon which was filed by IOA in CAS.
By 4.30 pm on the same day, the case was filed and Indian Olympic Association was made an Interested Party in the CAS proceedings.
Top officials working with the Sports Ministry, worked the phone lines to contact the best officials in the country and experts across the globe to seek their suggestions on the matter. In fact, the officials in India were working towards the solution the entire night given the time contraint. “Very valuable suggestions and observations given by these experts came in handy for the legal team,” a source told Network 18.
Infact on August 9, the hearing was conducted in the CAS that went on for more than three hours. Both Mr Viduspat Singhania and Harish Salve argued the case.
In fact on August 8 itself, the Government of India wrote to the IOA in an official communication to extend all support to the athlete.
The official communication to PT Usha reads, “Government of India extends its unwavering support to Ms. Vinesh Phogat in her ongoing petition presented before the Ad Hoc Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), Paris Olympic Games 2024. In fact, the Hon’ble Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports made a categorical statement in Parliament on 7th August 2024 to reaffirm the support of Ms. Vinesh Phogat in her quest for justice. He mentioned in his speech about the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s interaction with you over the matter.”
“Ms. Vinesh Phogat’s dedication and hard work is an inspiration to the millions and she has brought immense pride to our nation with her success on the wrestling mat, and her recent disqualification from the Paris 2024 Olympics has been a matter of great concern for not only the entire sporting community, but for the whole nation. I would like to add here that in line with our commitment to promote and protect the rights of athletes, particularly women in sports, the Government of India has been actively involved in fostering an inclusive and supportive environment through various initiatives,” it added.
“The Government of India hereby urges the Indian Olympic Association to continue its advocacy and support for Ms. Vinesh Phogat during her legal proceedings at CAS. We believe that with a concerted effort, we can uphold the principles of justice, fairness, and equality in sports, and Ms. Vinesh Phogat gets the justice she deserves. The Government is ready to provide every assistance required by Ms. Vinesh Phogat and the Indian Olympic Association. We appreciate the efforts of the IOA and remain committed to working collaboratively to support our athletes and promote sports in India.”
The case which was taken over by Mr Salve, on behalf of Phogat, argued on multiple grounds, considering the human tendency of the body among the others, leading with the case to be taken up on humanitarian grounds.
The CAS, which was to deliver the verdict on the case last week, delayed it by a couple of days. While most of the contingent was back in the country, looking at the sensitivity of the entire issue. The stay of Mr Gagan Narang was extended at government’s expense to be a pillar of support to the wrestler in these times.
“It is leatnt that the President CAS has extended the time period of pronouncing the judgement ot the Sole Arbitrator for this purpose til 13August, 2024. Therefore, ti si advisable that Shri Gagan Narang, CDM, Indian Contingent for Paris Olympics 2024, should stay till the matter is concluded as he has been associated with the matter since beginning,” The government in its communication wrote to PT Usha. It for the stated that the expenses for Mr Narang to stay back in the case would be borne by Sports Authority of India.
In fact, this morning, another extension was given for Mr Narang to stay as it was being anticipated that the CAS court would deliver the verdict on 16th August.
However, the CAS delivered the verdict on Wednesday evening, leaving the entire sports-loving nation devastated.
“The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President Dr PT Usha has expressed her shock and disappointment at the decision of the Sole Arbitrator at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to dismiss wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s application against the United World Wrestling (UWW) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC),” the IOA said in its official release post the order.
“The operative part of the August 14 decision, which dismisses Vinesh’s application to be awarded a shared silver medal women’s 50 kg category at the Paris Olympic Games 2024, has significant implications for her in particular and the sporting community at large. The marginal discrepancy of a 100 grams and the resultant consequences has profound impact, not only in terms of Vinesh’s career but also raises serious questions about ambiguous rules and their interpretation,” the statement read.
“The IOA firmly believes that the total disqualification of an athlete for such a weight infraction on the second of two days warrants a deeper examination. Our legal representatives had duly brought this out in their submissions before the Sole Arbitrator. The matter involving Vinesh highlights the stringent and, arguably, inhumane regulations that fail to account for the physiological and psychological stresses athletes, particularly female athletes, undergo,” it added.
“It is a stark reminder of the need for more equitable and reasonable standards that prioritize athletes’ well-being. In light of the order of the CAS, the IOA continues to stand in full support of Ms. Phogat and is exploring further legal options. The IOA is committed to ensuring that Vinesh’s case is heard. It will continue to advocate justice and fairness in sports, ensuring that the rights and dignity of athletes and everyone in the sports fold are upheld at all times. We appreciate the continued support and understanding of our stakeholders, athletes, and the public,” the statement read.