NEW DELHI, MAY 22 — The Delhi High Court on Friday criticized the Wrestling Federation of India for barring decorated wrestler Vinesh Phogat from domestic competitions and instructed the central government to form an expert panel to facilitate her entry into the upcoming Asian Games trials.
A division bench consisting of Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia noted that the sports body’s sudden decision to stop allowing elite athletes to participate without prior constraints raised significant questions about its motives. The bench stated that the central administration must ensure Phogat, who is launching a competitive comeback after a maternity sabbatical, can join the selection matches scheduled for May 30-31.
“Motherhood is celebrated in the country, and the federation should not act with vengeance,” the bench remarked during oral proceedings. The judges questioned why the sport itself should be compromised due to administrative friction.
The division bench issued these directives during an appeal against a single-judge order passed on May 18, which had initially denied immediate relief to the wrestler. The federation had previously extended an eligibility ban against Phogat through June 26, 2026, pointing to a strict six-month notice requirement tied to anti-doping systems for athletes concluding a retirement phase.
Counsel for the petitioner argued that the timing of the federation’s restrictive guidelines and a show-cause notice issued on May 9 indicated a deliberate attempt to exclude her. Legal representatives stated that the international framework protects the status and ranking of female athletes during post-partum recovery, a standard they argued the domestic federation failed to uphold.
Government counsel stated that current rules under the Sports Authority of India allow for the relaxation of specific eligibility terms under unique circumstances. The court temporarily paused the session until mid-afternoon to allow federal attorneys to return with structural details regarding the newly proposed evaluation committee.
