Delhi High Court Denies Vinesh Phogat's Request to Compete in Wrestling Trials

Court's Decision on Vinesh Phogat's Participation

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has ruled against granting immediate relief to Vinesh Phogat, a three-time Olympian wrestler, who requested to participate in the selection trials for the 2026 Senior World Wrestling Championships set to take place in Kazakhstan.

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, presiding over a single-judge Bench, denied Phogat's request for an interim exemption from the eligibility criteria established by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). The judge noted that these criteria apply uniformly to all athletes and cannot be relaxed solely for Phogat at this time.

Phogat sought a directive for the WFI to provisionally include her in the eligibility pool, allowing her to compete in the women’s selection trials scheduled for September 14 at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi.

The court acknowledged that while Phogat's absence due to maternity would be taken into account when assessing the WFI’s selection framework, it did not justify her participation contrary to the established eligibility criteria at this interim stage.

Justice Sharma stated, “At this interim stage, this Court believes that the eligibility criteria applicable to all athletes should not be relaxed for the petitioner alone, especially when such a relaxation could impact other athletes in similar situations who are not before this Court.”

The ruling emphasized that the WFI's circular issued on September 7, outlining eligibility criteria for the upcoming championships, was not specifically designed to exclude Phogat but was applicable to all athletes aiming to participate in the trials.

“Allowing the petitioner to compete by granting her a special exemption would not only be unjust to other athletes across the nation with similar grievances who are not part of this case, but it could also lead to a situation where other athletes seek similar exceptions from the eligibility criteria,” the Delhi High Court concluded.

The court further noted that such a directive could not be issued without first reviewing the validity of the selection policy itself.

Phogat, represented by senior advocate Rajshekhar Rao, argued that the current eligibility framework perpetuates an exclusionary system by making participation contingent on specific qualifying competitions, without offering a mechanism for athletes returning to competition after pregnancy and childbirth.

However, Justice Sharma clarified that this broader issue would require thorough examination during the final adjudication stage, stating, “The broader question of whether a selection policy should provide a suitable mechanism for athletes returning to competitive sports after pregnancy and childbirth, and whether the absence of such a mechanism renders the policy arbitrary or discriminatory, will also need detailed consideration during the final adjudication of the writ petition.”

Phogat had been absent from competitive wrestling during 2024-25 due to pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum recovery.

The judgment noted that the International Testing Agency, representing United World Wrestling, confirmed in July 2025 that she would be eligible to compete starting January 1, 2026.

Previously, she had contested her exclusion from the Asian Games selection process in the Delhi High Court. A Division Bench had allowed her to participate in the Asian Games Selection Trials on May 30, indicating that motherhood should not hinder a woman's career.

Phogat competed in the trials for the 53 kg category, reaching the semi-finals but ultimately was not selected for the Asian Games.

The single-judge Bench remarked that the earlier interim relief granted by the Division Bench was specific to the then-existing Asian Games Selection Policy and the first show-cause notice against Phogat, and should not be interpreted as granting her a general or ongoing exemption from eligibility requirements for future competitions.

The High Court also pointed out that the WFI had issued a second show-cause notice to Phogat on June 17 regarding alleged misconduct during the selection trials in which she had been allowed to participate.

“Without expressing any final opinion on the validity of the Circular dated 07.09.2026 or on the merits of the ongoing disciplinary proceedings, this Court is not inclined to grant the interim relief requested by the petitioner at this time,” Justice Sharma stated, dismissing Phogat’s application to participate in the September 14 selection trials.

The main writ petition, which challenges the WFI’s selection and disciplinary framework while seeking a fair and transparent mechanism for women athletes returning to competitive sports after pregnancy and childbirth, is scheduled for a hearing on September 29.