As Vinesh Phogat stood on the brink of historic achievement at the Paris Olympics 2024, her disqualification from the gold medal match in the 50kg freestyle wrestling event sent shockwaves across Bharat.
Despite the setback, Vinesh has bravely decided to challenge the outcome at the Court of Arbitration for Sport-CAS. With the verdict expected soon, it has been reported that United World Wrestling-UWW is opposing Vinesh’s plea, citing strict adherence to the rules.
However, the UWW’s rulebook contains potential loopholes that Vinesh’s legal team might exploit to overturn the decision and secure a silver medal.
Potential Rule Loophole
Reports from Revsportz mentioned UWW’s regulations stipulate that the 100-gram margin by which Vinesh missed the weigh-in cannot be overlooked, with no exceptions allowed. As a result, UWW argues that Vinesh cannot be awarded a silver medal.
Yet, the UWW rulebook also contains an intriguing loophole. UWW rules state that the repechage (wrestling for bronze) is typically reserved for wrestlers, who lose to the finalists. In the 50kg freestyle wrestling final, Yui Susaki of Japan was given the opportunity to compete for bronze in the repechage rounds. However, Vinesh was disqualified from the gold medal match due to her failed weigh-in, thus she was not considered a finalist.
The question arises – On what basis was Susaki allowed to participate in the repechage? According to the rules, if Vinesh’s disqualification had effectively removed her from consideration, Susaki should not have been permitted to enter the repechage. Yet, the UWW allowed Susaki to compete, creating a potential inconsistency in the application of the rules.
This apparent discrepancy in the UWW’s rule application could be pivotal. Vinesh’s legal team might argue that the rules regarding the repechage were not properly applied in her case, potentially influencing the CAS’s final decision.
As the final hearing approaches, the Indian camp’s strategy in addressing this loophole could play a crucial role in determining the outcome of Vinesh Phogat’s appeal and securing the recognition she deserves.
