CAS Rejects Vinesh Phogat’s Shared-Silver Appeal
The Court of Arbitration for Sport dismissed Vinesh Phogat’s appeal on August 14, 2024, leaving her disqualification from the Paris Olympics women’s 50kg freestyle final in place. Phogat had asked to share the silver medal after being ruled overweight at the final weigh-in. CAS did not grant that request.
Why Phogat was disqualified
Phogat had advanced to the 50kg final after defeating several opponents, including Japan’s Yui Susaki. On the morning of the final, she was found 100 grams over the division’s limit during the second-day weigh-in. United World Wrestling disqualified her under the competition rules, making Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzmán the replacement finalist. Guzmán later won silver; Sarah Hildebrandt took gold.
CAS rejects shared-silver request
Phogat appealed to CAS and sought to be awarded a shared silver medal; Sarah Hildebrandt won gold, while Yusneylis Guzmán Lopez was the silver medalist. The ad hoc panel dismissed her application on August 14. The decision preserved the original result and did not change the medal standings for the women’s 50kg event.
Retirement statement preceded the ruling
Phogat announced her retirement from wrestling on August 8, while the appeal was still pending. That announcement came after the disqualification and before CAS issued its decision; it was not a reaction to the ruling itself. Her appeal drew attention to the strict second-day weigh-in rule and its impact on the final bracket.
Sources: Reuters on the CAS decision; Associated Press on the appeal and competition ruling; MMA USA on Sarah Hildebrandt’s Olympic gold.
Sources
Tags: Wrestling
