Delhi HC pulls up Wrestling Federation over decision to declare Vinesh Phogat ‘ineligible’

The Delhi High Court on Friday, May 22, 2026, removed the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) over its decision to declare wrestler Vinesh Phogat ‘unfit’ to participate in local events.

The court directed the Center to constitute an expert committee to evaluate Ms. Phogat’s participation in the upcoming Asian Games selection trials.

On May 9, the WFI issued a show cause notice to World championship medalist Ms. Phogat on different grounds, including her failure to comply with the weight limit at the Paris Olympics, her anti-doping issues (multiple whereabouts errors), and her participation in two weight divisions during the Olympic qualifiers.

The WFI said he could not be allowed to compete because of the mandatory six-month notice period that under anti-doping rules athletes must serve before returning from retirement.

Ms Phogat, who retired following her disqualification from the 2024 Paris Olympics and gave birth to a son in July last year, reversed her retirement decision on December 12, 2025. A defiant Vinesh participated in the National Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda despite WFI declaring him ineligible. He responded to the notice and refused to back down despite WFI’s firm stance.

On Ms. Phogat’s return after maternity leave, the Delhi HC stated that it was very important for WFI to depart from the selection criteria of the past and added that motherhood was celebrated in the country.

Whatever the feud or disagreement, Bench wondered, why should the cause of wrestling suffer?

Ms Phogat, who made a surprising statement recently, said that she was one of the six women wrestlers who were allegedly sexually harassed by former Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, during which she joined the protest of women wrestlers in 2023.

(with PTI inputs)