Vinesh Phogat, a sportsperson known for her highly skilled wrestling, has been struggling against the system continually for the last few years. Recently, as the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) announced Phogat’s ineligibility to compete in domestic tournaments, the Delhi High Court strongly opposed the move in an appeal hearing, issuing sharp remarks to the Centre. The court observed that the WFI’s actions appeared biased and stated that the federation should not act out of “vengeance.”
In contrast, the high court itself had initially refused to permit Phogat to appear for the Asian Games trials on May 18. During that earlier hearing, a single-judge bench headed by Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav observed that since the federation had already declared the wrestler ineligible for domestic events, no interim relief could be granted to Phogat’s plea. That plea challenged both the WFI’s selection policy for the Asian Games and a May 9 notice, which barred Phogat from participating in domestic events including the National Open Ranking Tournament until June 26. However, in a subsequent appeal hearing before a division bench, the court supported Phogat’s position and recognized the federation’s biased decision-making.
The court examined the matter and ordered the Centre to set up an expert committee to investigate the dispute between Phogat and the federation. Judging the case, the bench expressed its strong views orally, asking, “Whatever may be the feud or dispute, why should the cause of wrestling suffer?”
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The WFI’s Asian Games selection policy, issued on February 25, stated that only medal winners from the 2025 Senior National Wrestling Championship, the Federation Cup 2026, and the Under-20 and Under-23 National Wrestling Championships would be eligible for selection, highlighting that these events were held before the upcoming trials. A subsequent circular on May 6 also clarified that past performances would not be taken into account.
However, in its May 9 notice, the WFI accused Phogat of misconduct and alleged violations of anti-doping rules. The federation claimed that the wrestler failed to complete a compulsory six-month interval required for players wishing to return from retirement, a rule established under United World Wrestling’s anti-doping regulations. Observing that Phogat was returning from a maternity break, the court permitted her to provide a detailed reply to the WFI’s May 9 notice and ordered the federation to take a final decision before the next scheduled hearing on July 6.
Prior to this legal battle, Vinesh Phogat was central to a high-profile protest against former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over allegations of sexual harassment. She emerged as a prominent figure in the 36-day protest held at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar in April and May 2023.
With all eyes now on the final judgments of both the federation and the court, many believe it is for the betterment of the nation if she is allowed to play in the Asian Games, given her international stature and highly skilled wrestling.