Former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly has thrown his weight behind wrestler Vinesh Phogat who faced a heartbreaking disqualification from the Paris Olympics. Phogat was unable to compete in the gold medal match due to being slightly overweight.
Sourav Ganguly Supports Vinesh Phogat
The Indian Olympic Association is currently appealing the decision, seeking a silver medal for Phogat. Ganguly has joined the chorus of support, arguing that the wrestler deserves recognition for reaching the final.
"I don't know the exact rule, but I'm sure that when she reached the finals, she must have qualified properly. So when you go to the finals, it's either a Gold or Silver medal. Whether she was disqualified wrongfully or not, I don't know, but she deserves the Silver medal at least," said Ganguly, as quoted by India Today.
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Vinesh Phogat's CAS Hearing
Vinesh Phogat's appeal against her disqualification from the Paris Olympics was heard by Sole Arbitrator Hon. Dr Annabelle Bennett on Saturday. The three-hour hearing saw a strong legal team representing the Indian wrestler, including senior counsels Harish Salve and Vidushpat Singhania, known for his successful representation of athletes in the past.
CAS Verdict Postponed
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has announced that the verdict on Vinesh Phogat's appeal will be issued on August 13 at 9:30 PM IST.
Vinesh's legal team presented arguments that the weight gain was a natural part of the body's recovery process and that athletes have the right to care for their bodies. They emphasized that Phogat was within the weight limit on the first day of the competition and any subsequent weight gain was due to recovery, not intentional manipulation.
Maenwhile, India's legendary shooter, who won gold medal in Beijing 2008 also shared his insights on the potential outcome of the CAS verdict.
“Well, it's an incredibly tough situation and frankly, I don't even know what to say. The rules are very clear, where you draw the line. Sport is always governed. If you don't govern sport by rules then there is no sport. But of course, I fully empathise with Vinesh. It's an incredibly difficult period of time for her, everybody's heart is broken and we are all there for her. I had the opportunity to meet her as well,” Bindra told India Today.
"I really don't know where this would head. I know the decision is postponed for a couple of days. So I think one just needs to be patient. I am not privy to what the arguments have been made, I haven't gone through what the case is put forward and I am no legal expert. So patience for a couple of days," he further added.
Impact of Vinesh's Disqualification
Vinesh Phogat's disqualification resulted in Cuba's Yusney Guzman advancing directly to the gold medal match. However, Guzman was defeated by Sarah Hildebrandt, claiming the gold medal, while Guzman settled for silver. Japan's Susaki Yui and China's Feng Ziqi secured the bronze medals.
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