Supreme Court to Hear WFI's Challenge on Vinesh Phogat's Asian Games Trials Participation

The Supreme Court is set to hear the WFI's petition on Friday, presided over by Justice PS Narasimha and Justice Alok Aradhe.

This ruling from the apex court could have far-reaching effects on the selection criteria and the involvement of athletes who are making a comeback after a hiatus in high-performance sports.

On May 22, a Division Bench of the high court ruled in favor of Vinesh, allowing her to participate in the upcoming trials for the Asian Games. The court criticized the WFI's selection policy as being exclusionary, particularly for athletes like Vinesh who are returning from maternity leave.

Labeling Vinesh an “iconic athlete,” the high court emphasized the need for her to have a fair chance to compete and mandated her participation in the trials scheduled for May 30-31.

Additionally, the high court instructed that the trials be recorded on video by the WFI to ensure transparency, with independent observers from both the Sports Authority of India and the Indian Olympic Association present during the process.

In contrast, the WFI argued that adherence to established selection criteria is essential to uphold fairness and consistency in team selections.