The Delhi High Court questioned the Wrestling Federation of India's (WFI) decision to declare wrestler Vinesh Phogat "ineligible" for domestic competitions, and urged the Union government to form an expert panel to assess her situation.
A judicial panel, led by Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia, said that the WFI's departure from its usual practice of allowing prominent athletes to compete "speaks volumes". They directed the government to ensure Phogat, who is aiming to return to wrestling after a maternity break, is permitted to participate in the upcoming Asian Games selection trials.
The bench said that motherhood is highly respected in India and cautioned the federation against acting with "vengeance".
The court requested the formation of an expert panel to evaluate Phogat. This came after a submission from the government counsel that the Sports Authority of India's framework allows for flexibility in eligibility criteria in specific circumstances.
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"Ask the experts to evaluate her chances. Ensure that she participates," the court said. It scheduled a follow-up hearing for 2:30pm the same day, allowing the government counsel time to provide further details on the composition of the expert team.
Phogat had appealed against a lower court's decision on May 18, which denied her immediate permission to compete in the Asian Games selection trials scheduled for May 30-31. She was declared "ineligible" by the WFI.
Phogat's senior counsel argued that she should have the chance to compete in the trials. He pointed to a show-cause notice issued to her on May 9, just before her participation in a domestic event in Gonda, suggesting that "somebody is clutching at straws" to prevent her from taking part.
The court said it was unhappy with the show-cause notice, which referenced Phogat's disqualification in the Paris Olympics as a "national shame". The judges questioned why it shouldn't be assumed that the WFI had altered its selection criteria specifically for her.
"She became a mother in July 2025. We are in May. She is a wrestler of international repute. Why can't it be presumed that you changed it (selection criteria) for her. Whatever may be the feud or dispute, why should the cause of sports suffer? Motherhood is celebrated in the country, should it come to the detriment of a person?" the court said.
The court further commented, "The change in circular says all. Don't conduct yourself like this. This is not in the best interest of sports. Deviation from the earlier circular speaks volumes."
The WFI had initially declared Phogat ineligible for domestic events until June 26, 2026. They cited a mandatory six-month notice period required for athletes returning from retirement under anti-doping regulations. Despite this, a determined Vinesh Phogat still participated in the National Open Ranking Tournament held in Gonda.
Phogat was among the women wrestlers who participated in a protest in 2023 against alleged sexual harassment by the WFI's former president, Brijbhushan Sharan Singh.
Earlier, in August 2024, Phogat was disqualified from the 50kg category finals of the Olympics due to being 100g overweight during the morning weigh-in.