Delhi HC slams Wrestling Federation over Vinesh Phogat’s eligibility, directs Centre to form expert panel

NEW DELHI: In a major reprieve for ace wrestler Vinesh Phogat, the Delhi High Court has sharply reprimanded the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) for barring her from domestic events, directing the Centre to form an expert committee to facilitate her participation in the upcoming Asian Games selection trials.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia was hearing Phogat's appeal against a May 18 single-bench order that had initially declined her interim relief. The bench questioned the federation's "sudden departure" from established protocols that historically accommodated elite athletes based on past performance, noting that the shift in policy "speaks volumes."

"Motherhood is celebrated in this country. Whatever may be the feud or dispute, why should the cause of sports suffer?" the bench remarked, emphasising that Phogat—who is returning to the mat following a maternity break after giving birth in July 2025—should not face administrative vengeance. The court orally ordered the government's counsel to ensure experts evaluate her fitness and chances so she can join the high-stakes trials scheduled for May 30 and 31.

The dispute stems from a May 9 show-cause notice issued by the WFI, which declared Phogat "ineligible" for all domestic competitions—including the National Open Ranking Tournament—until June 26, 2026. In its directive, the federation alleged indiscipline and anti-doping non-compliance, arguing that Phogat failed to serve the mandatory six-month notice period required by United World Wrestling (UWW) rules for athletes returning from retirement. The High Court, however, expressed severe displeasure at the WFI's conduct, particularly criticizing the federation's notice for labeling Phogat's heartbreaking Paris Olympics disqualification a "national shame."

Vinesh Phogat has long been at the center of a high-profile institutional battle. She was one of six prominent female wrestlers who accused former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment, serving alongside Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik as a leading face of the intense 36-day protest at Jantar Mantar in early 2023. Critics and sports analysts view the federation's recent stringent eligibility rulings as an ongoing fallout from that protest.