Who Is Harish Salve? Fighting To Get Vinesh Phogat A Silver Medal

India’s hopes are now pinned on lawyer Harish Salve, who will represent wrestler Vinesh Phogat in her disqualification case at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) today. Phogat, a top contender in the 50-kg wrestling category, was disqualified from the Paris Olympics just hours before the final due to a weight issue. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has appealed for Phogat to be awarded a joint silver medal for her performance.

The CAS, established in 1984, is an international body that resolves sports disputes through arbitration.

Harish Salve, a former Solicitor General of India and a distinguished lawyer known for his expertise in constitutional, commercial, and arbitration law, has been engaged by the IOA to represent Phogat.

Notable cases Salve has handled include:

Kulbhushan Jadhav Case (2017): He represented India at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and successfully argued for a stay on Jadhav’s execution.

Ratan Tata vs Cyrus Mistry (2016): He represented Ratan Tata in a legal battle against Cyrus Mistry.

Vodafone Tax Dispute (2012): He secured a landmark victory for Vodafone in a high-profile tax dispute.

2G Spectrum Scam (2012): He appeared for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in this major case.

Sahara Group vs SEBI (2012): He represented the Sahara Group in a dispute with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

Following her disqualification, Vinesh Phogat announced her retirement from wrestling on Thursday. In a heartfelt post on X, Phogat expressed her sense of defeat and gratitude, saying, “Maa kushti (wrestling) won against me, I lost. Forgive me, your dream and my courage have been broken. I don’t have any more strength now. Goodbye wrestling, 2001-2024. I will always be indebted to you all for forgiveness.”

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