Olympics
What is the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)?
Vinesh Phogat has appealed to the CAS to get a shared silver medal and a chance to play the gold medal match.
Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from competing in the gold medal match in the women's 50kg category at the Paris Olympics after she failed her weigh-in on Wednesday.
As a result of her disqualification, her medal possibility has been stripped away and she would be placed in the last position.
Yusneylys Guzmán Lopez, who lost to Vinesh in the semi-finals, will play the gold medal match against American Sarah Hildebrandt.
Vinesh and her team have now appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) on two accounts: to be given a shared silver medal, and an opportunity to play the gold medal match.
The CAS has said that they cannot stop the final from taking place. But they will give an interim verdict tomorrow.
With this saga looming over the heads of wrestling fans and Indian sports fans, what is the CAS? What are its powers?
The Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS):
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is an international body created in 1984 to deal with sports-related disputes.
Cases can be brought directly to the CAS through ordinary arbitration or via an appeal against decisions of sports bodies and organizations.
Its headquarters are in Lausanne, Switzerland. It also has benches in New York, Sydney, and Lausanne. Temporary courts are established in current Olympic host cities as well.
Jurisdiction and powers:
According to rule 61 of the Olympic Charters, all Olympic Games-related disputes can be submitted only to the CAS. All Olympic international federations and National Olympic Committees have also recognized the CAS jurisdiction over anti-doping rule violations.
Unlike national courts, specialized CAS lawyers are required to try cases at the CAS.
Although initially conceived by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the CAS sought to become more independent, and in 1993, it became entirely independent, both organizationally and financially.