After Vinesh Phogat's 'PT Usha played politics in Paris' remark, Harish Salve reveals wrestler 'didn’t want to carry case further'

Days after Vinesh Phogat alleged that she didn't receive any support from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and pointed fingers at the IOA president PT Usha by stating "politics happened in Paris" a new development has come to light. One of India's top lawyers Harish Salve, who represented the IOA during the wrestler's hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), has revealed that it was Vinesh and not the sports body who refused to drag the matter further.

Vinesh competed in the 50kg category of women's freestyle wrestling at the Paris Olympics and was assured of a silver medal. However, the grappler was disqualified on the morning of her gold medal bout due to an overweight by 100 grams. She subsequently announced her retirement from the sport and appealed against the decision at the ad hoc body of CAS present in Paris. After hearing the case for almost a week the CAS ruled the verdict against Vinesh.

Speaking on the subject to Times Now, Salve said there was no coordination initially as the lawyers engaged by Vinesh initially refused to share the details. “There was complete lack of coordination, lack of cohesion for quite some time initially. That’s because the very good law firm which had been engaged by the Indian Olympic Association was told by some lawyers who the athlete had engaged that ‘we will not share anything with you, we will not give anything to you," he said.

“Later on, we got everything and we fought hard. In fact, I even offered the lady that maybe we can challenge it in the Swiss court of appeal against the arbitration award but I was told by the lawyers that my impression is she didn’t want to carry this any further,” Salve added.