One of India’s best known lawyers and former solicitor general Harish Salve will represent the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) in a crucial hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on August 9 against the disqualification of wrestler Vinesh Phogat from the Paris Olympics.
The hearing is expected to begin at 12.30 pm IST.
Phogat was disqualified by United World Wrestling on the morning of her gold medal bout on August 7 for being 100 grams over the weight limit of 50-kg, a heart-breaking end to a brilliant run at the games.
Phogat, who became the first woman wrestler to make it to an Olympic gold medal, announced here retirement from the sport, capping a tumultuous year for the athlete.
“My courage is broken, I don’t have any more strength now. Goodbye Wrestling, 2001-2024, Phogat, who emerged as the face of protests against the former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who faces charges of sexual harassment.
While the United World Wrestling stripped Phogat of all her achievements in the Olympics, chief minister Nayab Singh Saini of her home state Haryana has pledged to honour the 29-year-old with the benefits of a silver medal, acknowledging her achievements and the challenges she faced.
“Not just Haryana, but the whole country is proud of our daughter Vinesh. Some problems arose which led to her disqualification. Despite everything, the state government has decided that we will reward her with all the benefits a silver medalist is entitled to. How can we let her morale down?” Saini said.
Phogat's Paris Olympic journey included a stunning victory over four-time world and defending Olympic champion Yui Susaki of Japan followed by wins in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds.
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