WFI moves Supreme Court against Delhi HC order allowing Vinesh Phogat to appear in Asian Games trials
PTC Web Desk: The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has approached the Supreme Court against the Delhi High Court’s decision permitting wrestler Vinesh Phogat to participate in the selection trials for the 2026 Asian Games. A Bench comprising Justices P S Narasimha and Alok Aradhe is likely to hear the matter on Friday.
On May 22, the Delhi High Court allowed Vinesh Phogat to take part in the trials scheduled for May 30 and 31. The court observed that the WFI’s selection policy was restrictive as it did not provide flexibility for accomplished athletes returning after maternity leave.
The High Court also directed the WFI to video-record the trials. It further ordered that one independent observer each from the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) should remain present during the process.
While granting relief to Vinesh Phogat, the court said motherhood cannot become a reason to deny opportunities to women athletes. It noted that her break from wrestling due to pregnancy and recovery should not be treated as a professional disadvantage.
The court also criticised the WFI for calling Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification from the 2024 Paris Olympics a “national embarrassment” in a show-cause notice issued to her. The Bench termed the remark “deplorable” and said such language should have been avoided.
Vinesh Phogat had challenged the WFI’s selection policy before the High Court, arguing that the eligibility criteria unfairly excluded her because the qualification period overlapped with her maternity break. According to her plea, the policy created an inflexible system that discriminated against athletes returning after childbirth.
Earlier this month, the WFI declared Vinesh Phogat ineligible to compete in domestic events till June 26, citing anti-doping rules that require athletes coming out of retirement to serve a six-month notice period.
Despite the restriction, Vinesh Phogat participated in the National Open Ranking Tournament held in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh.
She had earlier been at the forefront of the 2023 protest by women wrestlers against former WFI chief and BJP leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over allegations of sexual harassment.
In August 2024, Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the women’s 50-kg freestyle final at the Paris Olympics after she was found 100 gram overweight during the morning weigh-in.
- With inputs from agencies
