The Delhi High Court has permitted renowned wrestler Vinesh Phogat to take part in the selection trials for the upcoming Asian Games, emphasizing that her participation is essential “in the interest of sports and justice.” The bench, consisting of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia, mandated that the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) record the trials, set for May 30 and 31, via video. Additionally, independent observers from the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) are to be present during the trials.
The court’s directive, released on Saturday, states, “The appellant shall be permitted to participate in the selection trials for the Asian Games, 2026, which are scheduled for 30.05.2026 and 31.05.2026.” The judges noted that the WFI’s policy was exclusionary, lacking the discretion to consider prominent athletes like Phogat, given her maternity leave.
Moreover, the court remarked that the reasons provided by the WFI in its show-cause notice against Phogat seemed “premeditated,” indicating an intention to revisit previously settled matters. This ruling came as part of Phogat’s appeal against a decision made on May 18 by a single-judge bench, which had denied her interim relief regarding her participation in the trials.
Phogat, who has achieved international success in wrestling, faced disqualification from the women’s 50kg final at the 2024 Summer Olympics after exceeding the weight limit by 100 grams during the morning weigh-in in August 2024.
