Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has recently been a hot topic in the news, especially in India since Vinesh Fugat On August 7, she weighed 100 grams more during the previous day’s weigh-in for the 50kg freestyle gold medal contest. The decision was immediately appealed by the 29-year-old athlete Chinese Academy of Sciences He subsequently announced his sport retirement.
However, the CAS interim office on Tuesday prolonged the suspense over Vinesh Phogat’s appeal to August 16 without giving reasons for another delay.
This case has been adjourned thrice without notice. In her appeal for a silver medal with Cuban opponent Yosnelis Guzman Lopez whom she defeated in semi finals but was annulled because Indian wrestler qualified and reached to finals instead.
As well as being active players in excess of two weeks prior to Paris Olympic Games, CAS has made numerous high-profile resolutions that have thrust it into lime light. Some of these include:
- Immediately prior to commencement of Paris Olympics, Tunisian Greco-Roman wrestler Amine Guenichi was handed a doping ban of four years by Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which effectively dashed his hopes at participating in Olympic Games.
- Paris Olympics CAS upholds World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appeal leading to exclusion from Olympic competition Romanian long jumper Florentina Iusco after she tested positive for banned substance.
- At opening ceremony day three Brazilian track and field athletes won a successful application before a CAS tribunal that allowed them to compete despite failing Brazil’s anti-doping program. Initially stopped by Track and Field Integrity Unit were Shot putter Livia Avancini, race walker Max Batista and sprinter Hygor Bezerra; however, they were set free when CAS upheld their legal challenge in expedited judgment.
- Canada’s protest against a points deduction from their soccer team at Paris Olympics due to drone scandal has been rejected by CAS. FIFA punished defending champions Canada with a six-point fine, head coach Bev Priestman and officials Joseph Lombardi and Jasmine Mander banned from any football-related activity for a year after Team New Zealand complained of Canadian staff flying drones over their training ground prior to first game.
- Marta, the Brazilian soccer legend has had his challenge thrown out against a two-match suspension from Paris Olympics. Marta, with her Brazilian team’s application included was dismissed by CAS which stated; judge hearing it on an urgent basis denied the prayer. FIFA suspended Brazil captain for two matches following the red card she received due to foul against Olga Carmona in 2-0 group stage loss to Spain.
- Italian Swimming Federation’s appeal against expulsion of Francesco Condemi who fought Hungary in Italy’s Olympic men’s water polo quarterfinals at Paris has been dismissed by CAS. With 2 minutes and 22 seconds remaining in second period, Kondemy was dismissed on violent play at age 20.
- On the field appeal of coach Jordan Chiles that vaulted Jordan Chiles into third was dismissed by CAS, indicating that the appeal missed the one-minute time limit for scoring inquiries carried out by four seconds. USA Gymnastics disagreed with this timing and insisted that it had submitted video evidence to CAS showing U.S. coach Cecil Landi making his initial appeal 13 seconds before the deadline. Romania’s Ana Barbosu was promoted to third place by FIG. The International Olympic Committee confirmed the ruling and announced it was redistributing medals.
What is CAS?
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is an independent institution created to resolve sports-related disputes through arbitration or mediation. CAS operates under procedural rules specifically tailored to meet the distinctive requirements of the sporting community, providing a specialized forum where athletes, teams and sporting organizations can seek fair and equitable resolution of conflicts.
With regard to Paris Olympics, all eyes are on which way CAS will go in its upcoming decision on Vinesh Phogat’s appeal; a decision which may have serious implications for the wrestler’s legacy as well as fueling debate on fairness in sport.
