Big win for Vinesh Phogat vs WFI: Delhi HC green lights wrestler for Asiad trials

The Delhi High Court on Friday (May 22) granted Vinesh Phogat a massive reprieve to allow him to attend the Asian Games trials after quashing the Wrestling Federation of India’s selection guidelines. In a scathing rebuke to the federation, the two-judge bench termed the WFI’s actions against Phogat as “vindictive” and also questioned the sports ministry over its silence on the matter.

The Delhi High Court has come down hard on the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), terming its actions against Vinesh Phogat as “vindictive” and “retrograde”. The federation deemed Phogat ineligible for the Asian Games trials after overhauling its selection policy ahead of her return to competition. The WFI, under the leadership of Sanjay Singh, changed the rules to stipulate that only the reigning national champions from the previous season would be eligible to compete in the trials.

VINESH PHOGAT vs WFI

In a landmark verdict delivered on May 22, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyay and Justice Tejas Karia observed that Phogat was unable to comply with the WFI’s “exclusionary” selection policy only because she was on maternity leave. The court decided that motherhood cannot become a reason to marginalize female athletes.

“It cannot be denied that the female athlete’s journey through pregnancy and the postpartum period is marked by extraordinary physical challenges, the extent of which is often under-recognized within institutional sports. We cannot remain indifferent to the physiological realities and disadvantages associated with childbirth that female athletes undergo during maternity,” the Bar and Bench quoted the Delhi High Court judgement.

DELHI HC SLAMS WFI

The court’s remarks came during a hearing where judges repeatedly questioned both the WFI and the central government over the treatment of Phogat, one of India’s most decorated wrestlers.

The WFI had earlier ruled Phogat ineligible for the Asian Games trials under its selection criteria, despite the wrestler returning to training after maternity leave. The federation’s move drew criticism from several quarters, with many questioning whether the policy unfairly targeted Phogat, who has been at loggerheads with the WFI since the Wrestlers’ January 2023 protest.

The division bench also took strong objection to the show cause notice issued to WFI Phogat, terming it as “deplorable”. The announcement reportedly called Phogat’s disqualification from the Paris Olympics for being overweight a “national disgrace”.

The court found that the language used by the federation reflected a clear intent of ignorance.

“Such observations made in the SCN despite the award given by the CAS which clearly stated that there was no wrongdoing on the part of the petitioner appear to be premeditated and ex-facie misconceived and should be avoided. Such observations are retrograde and show mala fide intention of respondent no.1 by being vindictive towards the petitioner,” the Bench said.

WHAT DOES THE MINISTRY OF SPORT DO?

The judges also questioned the central government and the sports ministry for failing to intervene despite the nature of the notice sent to the wrestler.

“These are the administrators of the sport? What action did you take against them? Were the sports ministry authorities not aware that these kinds of notices had been issued? If she is bringing laurels to the country, won’t you also give her a chance?” the court noted orally during the hearing.

The bench further questioned whether the sports ministry was consulted before the federation formulated its policy.

“Has she committed any violations? Were you taken into confidence before this policy? This is an absolutely retrograde step and you are silent,” the court added.

The verdict comes as a big relief for Phogat, who has remained at the center of turbulence in Indian wrestling in recent years. From leading protests against former WFI chief Briji Bhushan Sharan Singh to enduring suffering at the Paris Olympics, the wrestler has repeatedly found herself struggling on and off the mat.

Friday’s verdict now gives Phogat a path back into elite competition, while potentially setting a wider precedent for female athletes balancing motherhood and professional sport in India.

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Issued by:

Kingshuk Kusari

Published on:

23 May 2026 17:41 IST

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