The Delhi High Court on Friday pulled up the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) over its decision to declare wrestler Vinesh Phogat ineligible for domestic events, questioning the federation’s departure from past selection criteria following her maternity break.
The Bench observed that the WFI's departure from the earlier practice of permitting the participation of reputed athletes "speaks volumes," and asked the Centre to ensure that Phogat, who is seeking her return from a maternity break, is allowed to participate in the upcoming Asian Games selection trials.
The bench emphasised that motherhood is celebrated in the country, and the federation should not act with "vengeance."
The row began after WFI issued a 15-page show-cause notice to Phogat on May 9, accusing her of indiscipline, anti-doping procedural violations and damaging the reputation of Indian wrestling during the Paris Olympics.
The federation declared her ineligible for domestic events till June 26, citing a mandatory six-month notice period linked to athletes returning from retirement under anti-doping rules.
Phogat challenged the move, arguing that WFI had altered selection norms to allow only recent domestic medal winners into the Asian Games trials scheduled for May 30–31, events she missed due to pregnancy and maternity recovery.
Despite the ban, she participated in the National Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda.
Phogat's senior counsel urged the bench to grant her the opportunity to participate in the trials, contending that the show-cause notice issued to her on May 9, a day before her participation in a domestic event in Gonda, showed that "somebody is clutching at straws" to oust her.
The court expressed its displeasure at the show-cause notice claiming that Phogat's disqualification in the Paris Olympics was a "national shame" and questioned why it should not be presumed that the WFI changed the selection criteria for her.
"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 orally remarked.
"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," it added.
Phogat was among the women wrestlers who led protests in 2023 against alleged sexual harassment by WFI’s then-president, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
(With inputs from PTI)