Punjab Newsline | New Delhi
The court termed WFI’s selection policy discriminatory for athletes returning from maternity leave and ordered transparent monitoring of the trials.
The Vinesh Phogat has received major relief from the Delhi High Court after the court allowed her to participate in the selection trials for the 2026 Asian Games. The decision came on Saturday during a hearing related to her challenge against the Wrestling Federation of India’s restrictions.
A bench comprising Chief Justice D. K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela observed that the selection policy of the Wrestling Federation of India fails to provide fair opportunities for athletes returning after maternity leave, making the policy discriminatory.
The court directed that the entire selection trial process should be video recorded. It also ordered the presence of one independent observer each from the Sports Authority of India and the Indian Olympic Association to ensure transparency during the trials.
The bench stated that allowing Vinesh to compete was necessary in the interest of both sports and justice. The judges also remarked that the issues raised in the show-cause notice issued to her appeared to be “pre-decided” and similar to reopening matters that had already been settled.
Earlier, the WFI had declared Vinesh Phogat ineligible to participate in domestic competitions until June 26, 2026, citing anti-doping regulations. Challenging this decision, Vinesh approached the Delhi High Court seeking relief.
