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Rohit Kumar

NEW DELHI, May 22: The Delhi High Court on Friday pulled up the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) for declaring the Olympic medalist wrestler Vinesh Phogat “ineligible” to compete in the domestic circuit for selection in the upcoming Asian games and directed the Center to form an expert committee to evaluate her conditions to ensure her participation in the selection trials.

The WFI on May 9, issued a show-cause notice to Ms Phogat on various grounds, including her failure to stick to the weight restriction at the Paris Olympics, anti-doping issues (multiple whereby failures) and participating in two weight categories during the trials for an Olympic qualifier. The WFI said she could not be allowed to compete due to the mandatory six-month notice period that athletes need to serve before returning from retirement under anti-doping rules.

The WFI declared Vinesh Phogat ineligible for the upcoming Asian Games. Notably, Phogat was denied entry into the National Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda, with the WFI citing retirement- regulations and anti-doping procedures as they declared Vinesh Phogat ineligible to compete.

Apparently smelling vendetta politics in the WFI refusing her permission to compete, the Delhi High Court slammed the WFI and heavily came down on the board for the decision. A bench consisting of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia observed that the WFI moving away from allowing big-name athletes to compete speaks volumes. Furthermore, they also asked the WFI to allow Vinesh Phogat to compete in the upcoming Asian Games selection trials.

The High Court asked for the formation of a special expert panel that will evaluate Vinesh Phogat after the counsel submitted that the Sports Authority of India allows eligibility criteria relaxation in special cases.

A heart-broken Ms Phogat, had announced her retirement from wrestling following her disqualification from the 2024 Paris Olympics due to overweight by about 100 grams in her category, She gave birth to a boy in July last year and reversed her retirement decision on December 12, 2025. A defiant Vinesh showed up at the National Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda even though WFI had declared her ineligible. She has responded to the notice and refused to back down despite WFI’s strict position.

Whatever may be the feud or dispute, why should cause of wrestling suffer, wondered the Bench. The reference apparently was to an agitation she and some other top level wrestlers had launched against the top bosses of the WFI for alleged sexual harassment of some female wrestlers.

Recently making a startling revelation, Ms Phogat had said she was among the six women wrestlers allegedly sexually harassed by Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh against whom she had participated in the protest by women wrestlers in 2023. A case against the former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in this regard is also pending in the court.

On Ms Phogat’s return after maternity break, Delhi HC remarked that WFI departure from past selection criteria speaks volume, adding that motherhood is celebrated in the country. It pointed out that Vinesh became a mother in July 2025, and in May 2026, she was deemed ineligible. It pointed out how motherhood should be celebrated in the country, and the WFI should not act based on vengeance.

“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 court said. The WFI had deemed Vinesh Phogat ineligible to compete until June 26, 2026, as they cited a mandatory six-month notice period under anti-doping rules applicable to athletes returning from retirement.

Ms Phogat had asserted that she was eligible to make a comeback at the senior Open ranking tournament but the WFI prevented her in a ‘pre-planned’ way. The Open Ranking venue, owned by Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, attracted all the media attention as Vinesh, accompanied by her team, came here for pre-competition verification.

After meeting WFI president Sanjay Singh, Vinesh tore into the national federation and blamed Brij Bhushan in his own backyard. “I need time to explain in detail but how can you hold me guilty before that?” she said on Monday. Vinesh said she informed the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) about her comeback in June 2025. About her whereabouts failure, Vinesh said, “I apologized to the WADA. After missing one (on December 18), I was tested twice and cleared to participate in international events. I want a fair chance.

“It’s pre-planned. Brij Bhushan is behind all this.” In a statement, Vinesh said the WFI ‘misinterpreted’ the timeline of her sabbatical and subsequent return to competition and she had the official confirmation from International Testing Agency (ITA) about her eligibility to compete from January 1, 2026. She released a document to back her claim.

Vinesh said her failures did not amount to any anti-doping rule violations. Sanjay said the WFI “didn’t work in a pre-planned way. We will consider Vinesh’s case after receiving her reply to the show-cause.”

The Olympic bronze-winning grappler Sakshi Malik had also on Tuesday (May 12, 2026) supported Vinesh Phogat over coming back from retirement, saying that attempts were being made to block her at a time when countries over the world were relaxing norms to help new mothers resume their careers.

“But our federation has come up with rules to stop Vinesh from making a comeback. I would request the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi), the Sports Minister (Mansukh Mandavia) and the WFI to take Vinesh’s trial so that she can also win medals for the country and be an example for women by winning medals after becoming a mother,” she added.