CAS to give verdict on Vinesh Phogat's 'silver' medal appeal today evening
Paris, Aug 10: The ad-hoc division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) will give its decision on the appeal filed by Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat against her disqualification from the Olympic finals by 6pm local time (9.30pm IST) on Saturday.
The hearing on the matter concluded here on Friday after it accepted Vinesh's appeal against her ouster for being 100gm overweight on the morning of her final against eventual gold-winner Sarah Ann Hildebrandt of USA.
"By application of Article 18 of the CAS Arbitration Rules form the Olympic Games, the President of the CAS Ad Hoc Division extends the time limit for the Panel to give a decision until 10 August 2024 at 18h00 (Paris time)," a statement from the CAS said.
This was after the ad-hoc division, set up especially for dispute resolution during the Olympics, said that a decision can be expected before the end of the Paris Games on Sunday.
After the hearing, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) had insisted that it was hopeful of a "positive resolution".
"Indian Olympic Association remained hopeful of a positive resolution of wrestler Vinesh Phogat's application before the Ad hoc Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against her failed weigh-in," the IOA said in a statement on Friday.
In the summit clash, Vinesh was replaced by Cuban wrestler Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, who lost to her in the semifinals on Tuesday.
In her appeal, the Indian has demanded that she be given a joint silver with Lopez as she was within the prescribed weight limit during her bouts on Tuesday.
Vinesh was represented by high-profile senior advocates Harish Salve and Vidushpat Singhania.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
BJP's Siroya seeks probe into ex-minister's claim of vote purchase to help Siddaramaiah win in polls
Bengaluru (PTI): BJP Rajya Sabha member Lahar Singh Siroya has urged the Election Commission to take note of former Union Minister C M Ibrahim's reported remarks on the alleged purchase of votes during the 2018 Karnataka Assembly elections to help Siddaramaiah win from Badami segment.
In a letter to the ECI on Tuesday, the Rajya Sabha member said Ibrahim, who was Siddaramaiah's close associate and advisor for decades, has said that he, along with senior Congress leader B B Chimankatti, helped purchase 3,000 votes in 2018, so that Siddaramaiah could scrape through the assembly election from the Badami seat.
Siddaramaiah has reportedly denied Ibrahim's charges.
In a post on 'X', Siroya said, "In the final count, Shri Siddaramaiah's victory margin in Badami was a mere 1696 votes. It was a humiliating margin for a sitting chief minister. The NOTA votes, which were 2007, were higher than his victory margin."
Siroya said Ibrahim, who was a "prominent Congress leader in 2018 and by all references and claims, was in charge of his friend's election," must explain the source and method of the alleged vote purchase.
"Ibrahim will do us a great favour if he tells us how, and from whom, he purchased the 3,000 votes to save his friend. He has also said Shri. Siddaramaiah had paid for this purchase, but took six months to make the payment.
The #ECI may want to take note of this claim of gross electoral corruption from someone who has been a lawmaker and a union minister himself, and order an investigation."
Siroya recalled that Siddaramaiah had defeated BJP candidate B Sriramulu in Badami.
"Perhaps Sriramulu also has some information and insight on how the 3000 votes were purchased. If he speaks, we'll know more on what happened in 2018 when he had contested from two seats, and would have practically won both the seats if this vote purchase had not happened," he said.
Siroya also raised questions about Siddaramaiah's narrow victory in the 2006 Chamundeshwari by-election.
"Now that Ibrahim has spoken about Siddaramaiah's narrow victory in Badami in 2018, he should also open up on the 2006 by-election of Siddaramaiah from the Chamundeshwari assembly constituency. Then too he was his close friend and strategist," he pointed out.
Siroya further said that in 2006, Siddaramaiah fought his first election, after he joined the Congress and his victory margin was only 257 votes.
"Were votes purchased even then? Congress was in power in Delhi. Did they manage a victory for Siddaramaiah then? Who were the officers who conducted that election?" he asked.
Hitting out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Siroya said: "Anyway, @RahulGandhi, by coming to Bengaluru a few days back, and making wild allegations about electoral rolls, has opened up a can of worms. His party men, including his CM, are more affected than anybody else. We should thank Rahul Gandhi for coming to Bengaluru because what he has ultimately done is destabilise his own government."
The MP said that Rahul is known for his self-goals and this will count as a big one.
"Co-operation Minister KN Rajanna's un-democratic sacking because he contradicted Shri. Rahul Gandhi is the beginning of the Congress' fall in Karnataka," he stated.
K N Rajanna was sacked as Cooperation Minister on Monday for blaming the Congress government for the bogus voting in the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
