Vinesh Phogat maternity policy plea: Delhi HC pleads for Centre, WFI reply

The Delhi High Court has asked the Union government and the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) to respond to wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s plea seeking a clearer and more inclusive system for female athletes returning to competition after pregnancy.

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma issued a notice to the Indian Olympic Association on Tuesday, with the matter scheduled to be heard on November 18. Vinesh’s petition calls for a transparent return-to-competition policy that does not disadvantage athletes because they were away from the sport due to maternity. It sought objective criteria for selection and nomination, along with alternative pathways for athletes whose performances or placings are affected by a pregnancy break.

“This is a broader issue of female athletes and maternity leave and the impact on their ability to participate in the sport. In fact, international standards say that an athlete who goes on maternity leave is given certain benefits and protection of her placement etc,” senior advocate Rajshekhar Rao, who is representing Vinesh, said of the petition, as quoted by Sportstar.

The wrestler also requested that she be considered for competitions for which she otherwise meets the eligibility requirements. It also sought a fixed and time-bound calendar for domestic competitions.

Vinesh gave birth to her son in July 2025 and subsequently began her efforts to return to wrestling. According to her petition, she should have competed under the same selection conditions as other athletes, even though she missed tournaments during her pregnancy and maternity leave.

She argued that the current eligibility system placed undue emphasis on performances at events held during times when she was unavailable, leaving female athletes returning from kindergarten with no meaningful alternative to remain in the selection race.

The former Asian and Commonwealth Games champion also approached the court separately two show-cause notices issued by WFI. This petition is scheduled to be heard on September 29.

During Tuesday’s meeting, counsel for the WFI said the federation had scheduled hearings on the notices twice but claimed that Vinesh had not turned up. The federation has now given a last chance, with the next hearing scheduled for September 2.

Vinesh contested the notices issued on May 9 and June 17, describing them as part of what she claims is a continuing pattern of arbitrary and mala fide actions by the federation.

She claimed that the ruling made it impossible for her to attempt to return to competitive wrestling after giving birth. Her plea also points out that the International Testing Agency has cleared her to compete from January 1, 2026.

According to Vinesh, despite this clearance, the WFI implemented an eligibility system that prevented her from being considered for selection, followed by the first show-cause notice that raised allegations of anti-doping and residency requirements.

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Published on:

01 Sep 2026 23:52 IST