Vinesh Phogat medal saga: Has IOA jeopardized the wrestler ahead of CAS verdict?

The 2024 Paris Olympics might have concluded, but the controversy surrounding Vinesh Phogat's disqualification is far from over...The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) issued a statement on Sunday, placing the responsibility for weight management squarely on the shoulders of the star wrestler and her personal team.

It read, "The Indian Olympic Association President Dr P-T Usha today clarified that the responsibility of weight management of athletes in sport like wrestling, weightlifting, boxing and judo is that of each athlete and his or her coach and NOT that of the IOA-appointed Chief Medical Officer Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala and his team.

Dr. Usha said that each Indian athlete in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in such sport had his or her own support team. These support teams have been working with the athletes over so many years.

The IOA appointed a medical team a couple of months ago, primarily as a team that would assist in the recovery and injury management of athletes during and after their competition. This team was also designed to support athletes who did not have their own team of nutritionists and physiotherapists.

Dr. Usha said that the hate directed at the IOA medical team, especially Dr. Pardiwala, is unacceptable and worthy of condemnation. She hoped that those rushing to judge the IOA medical team would consider all facts before arriving at any conclusions."

Vinesh Phogat was disqualified just before her much-anticipated Gold Medal bout in the 50 kg category after being found overweight by a mere 100 grams. The disqualification came as a shock, leading the three-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist to seek justice through the Court of Arbitration for Sport, where she later hoped to secure a joint Silver medal.

While the decision was initially expected before the end of the Olympics, it has now been deferred to August 13th.

In the wake of Vinesh's disqualification on August 7th, the IOA swiftly issued a statement acknowledging the unfortunate situation. Later that day, Dr. P.T. Usha reassured that the IOA was doing everything in its power to support Vinesh. She highlighted that both the wrestler’s team and the IOA's staff had worked tirelessly overnight to help her meet the required weight criteria.

Sunday's statement from the IOA, however, raises further questions - particularly regarding its timing, given that the matter remains under judicial review. Numerous voices, including Indian cricket legends Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly, have rallied behind Vinesh, supporting her claim for the silver.

While we all hope for a favorable verdict for the wrestler, the outcome remains uncertain, and the fallout from this controversy continues to unravel.