The Delhi High Court on Friday sharply criticized the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) for declaring three-time Olympian Vinesh Phogat “ineligible” to compete, observing that the federation’s sudden deviation from established protocols to bar premier athletes “speaks volumes.”
A division bench comprising Chief Justice D. K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia directed the Central Government to ensure Phogat—who is staging a career comeback following a maternity break—is permitted to participate in the upcoming Asian Games selection trials scheduled for May 30–31.
The bench instructed the Centre to immediately constitute an expert panel to evaluate Phogat’s eligibility. This directive came after the government’s counsel conceded that the Sports Authority of India (SAI) framework allows for the relaxation of eligibility criteria under exceptional circumstances.
The court was hearing Phogat’s appeal against a single-judge’s May 18 order, which had denied her immediate relief. Phogat’s senior counsel argued that the WFI’s show-cause notice, served just a day before a domestic event in Gonda, indicated that “somebody is clutching at straws” to deliberately oust the decorated wrestler.
The bench expressed deep displeasure at the WFI’s official rhetoric, which characterized Phogat’s 100-gram weight disqualification at the Paris 2024 Olympics as a “national shame.” The judges openly questioned whether the federation had retroactively altered its selection policies to target 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 [the selection criteria] for her?” the court remarked orally. “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?”
Admonishing the federation’s administrative conduct, the bench added: “The change in the 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 legal battle stems from a May 9 show-cause notice issued by the WFI, which barred Phogat from domestic competitions until June 26, 2026. The federation cited a mandatory six-month notice period required under anti-doping rules for athletes returning from retirement.
The WFI had levelled four primary charges against Phogat:
- Failure to make weight in the women’s gold medal bout at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
- Alleged anti-doping rule violations.
- Breach of official return-to-competition protocols post-retirement.
- Procedural violations for competing in two separate weight categories.
Phogat, 31, who retired immediately after the Paris Olympics before reversing her decision in December 2025 to target the 2028 Los Angeles Games, has fiercely countered the federation’s timeline.
In a statement broadcast on social media platform X, Phogat asserted that the WFI has “misinterpreted the timelines” of her sabbatical. She clarified that the International Testing Agency (ITA), which oversees global wrestling doping controls, had confirmed her eligibility to resume official training and competition effective January 1, 2026.
Phogat also rejected the whereabouts and trial allegations, stating they do not constitute violations under current rules. Defying the WFI’s suspension, Phogat recently presented herself at the Senior Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda to register her intent to compete.
