The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has decided to move the Supreme Court to challenge the Delhi High Court’s order. The Delhi High Court’s order allowed wrestler Vinesh Phogat to take part in the selection trials for the 2026 Asian Games. The WFI’s plea is scheduled to be heard by a bench consisting of Justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe.
Earlier, on May 22, a Delhi High Court division bench allowed Phogat’s participation in the upcoming trials. The bench also stated that the WFI’s selection policy was exclusionary for the lack of discretion to consider a wrestler like Phogat, who is returning from a maternity break.
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The bench also ordered WFI to hold the selection trials on May 30-31 and to video-record them. The bench also ordered the presence of an independent observer from the Sports Authority of India and the Indian Olympic Association during the trials.
The Delhi High Court held that the standard for selection trials deviated significantly from past practice. The bench also remarked that the law should ensure that motherhood doesn’t become a reason to exempt iconic athletes like Phogat.
Delhi High Court slams WFI’s show-cause notice
Meanwhile, the show-cause notice issued by WFU to Phogat was branded as premeditated and as reopening past issues. The bench also slammed the WFI for calling Phogat’s 2024 Paris Olympics disqualification a ‘national embarrassment’ in the show-cause notice.
“Was it a national shame? She was in the finals. How did the people of the country look at the event? Would you describe it as a national shame? Is that how you are serving the cause of wrestling in the country? What was the mood of the country at that time,” the court stated.
Meanwhile, Phogat has challenged the WFI’s selection policy and circular. She has also maintained that the qualification window chosen by WFI overlapped with her notified sabbatical due to pregnancy and post-partum recovery.
The court said, “She became a mother in July 2025. We are in May. She is a wrestler of international repute. Why can’t it be presumed that you changed it (selection criteria) for her. Whatever may be the feud or dispute, why should the cause of sports suffer? Motherhood is celebrated in the country, should it come to the detriment of a person?”
“The change in circular says all. Don’t conduct yourself like this. This is not in the best interest of sports. Deviation from the earlier circular speaks volumes.”
Welcoming the Delhi High Court’s decision, then, BJP leader Babita Phogat said, “I accept the court’s decision, and the court’s decision is the right one. Whatever the case may be, the court has already made its decision. Nothing is bigger than the court, so we should welcome the court’s decision and thank the court.”
