Delhi HC sets two-week deadline for WFI to decide on Vinesh Phogat notice

The Delhi High Court on Monday (July 6) ordered the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) to decide within two weeks on the show-cause notice issued to wrestler Vinesh Phogat over allegations of indiscipline and anti-doping violations. The court disposed of Phogat’s petition after the WFI assured her that the notice would be decided after a personal hearing and informed the court that her complaint about participating in the Asian Games selection process had become tenable.

The order comes amid an ongoing legal dispute between Phogat and the WFI over its eligibility to compete after returning from maternity leave and the federation’s selection criteria for major international events.

Disposing of the petition, Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma directed the federation to complete the process within a fixed time frame. “Within two weeks, decide on the May 9 notice based on the notice to the petitioner and the court,” the judge was quoted as saying by PTI.

Appearing for the WFI, the federation’s counsel told the court that Phogat would be granted a personal hearing before any decision on the notice was taken. When Phogat’s lead counsel argued that the petition also raised “larger issues” regarding WFI’s selection policy, the court noted that those concerns could be addressed separately. “That can be disposed of and then you can file a fresh petition,” the court said.

The court was informed that as per earlier court orders Phogat was allowed to participate in the Asian Games selection process. Her lawyer also told the court that she had since received further notices regarding her conduct during those trials. The May 9 notice declared Phogat ineligible to compete in domestic events until June 26, 2026, citing the mandatory six-month notice period applicable to athletes returning from retirement under anti-doping rules.

SELECTION POLICY UNDER CHALLENGE

In her petition, Phogat challenged the WFI’s selection policy and the circular that governed the Asian Games trials, claiming that eligibility was restricted to only medal winners of specific tournaments. She argued that the qualifying window overlapped substantially with her pregnancy and postpartum recovery, creating what she described as a “closed and inflexible gatekeeping mechanism” that was arbitrary and discriminatory.

Earlier in the proceedings, a single-judge bench on May 18 allowed Phogat to file a comprehensive reply to the show-cause notice, but refused to grant relief regarding her attendance at the courts. However, on May 22, the division bench cleared her to competestating that the WFI’s selection policy was exclusionary as it left no room to accommodate a successful athlete returning from maternity leave.

The Supreme Court later refused to interfere with the High Court’s order and allowed Phogat to participate in the selection process for the Asian Games held on 30 and 31 May. However, her campaign ended in the semi-finals of the women’s 53 kg event, where she lost 4-6 to Meenakshi Goyat.

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Published on:

06 Jul 2026 16:49 IST