Delhi High Court Calls on WFI Over Vinesh Phogat’s World Championship Trial Eligibility

The Delhi High Court stepped in on Wednesday, essentially asking the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) to tell the court – and, frankly, everyone watching – if Vinesh Phogat can line up for the September 14 selection trials for the 2026 Senior World Wrestling Championship.

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma didn’t just order a vague response. She specifically instructed the WFI’s counsel to take instructions on two points: first, whether Phogat should be allowed to wrestle in the trials, and second, whether the disciplinary committee should hold off on any final verdict in the case that’s already pending.

Phogat’s legal team, led by Rajshekhar Rao, told the bench that she’s caught between a rock and a hard place. On one side, a September 7 circular from the WFI narrowed eligibility to medal‑winners of certain national events, wrestlers who attended the National Coaching Camp, or those selected for the U‑20 World Championships. On the other, Phogat argues she doesn’t fit any of those boxes – not because she’s slacking off, but because she took a maternity break and missed the very tournaments now listed as prerequisites.

“My maternity cannot come in the way of my eligibility,” Rao said, his voice a mix of frustration and quiet resolve. He added, almost as an aside, that Phogat isn’t looking for a free pass; she just wants a fair chance to compete after giving birth and recovering.

The court is also looking at a separate petition where Phogat challenged disciplinary proceedings that began after she received show‑cause notices over alleged indiscipline, doping rule breaches, and conduct at the 2026 Asian Games trials. The court had earlier set September 29 for that hearing, but the WFI hurried the process, scheduling a September 9 hearing and branding it as the final opportunity for Phogat to appear.

In response, Rao asked the judge to restrain the disciplinary committee from issuing any final order until the larger matter is fully heard. He also pointed out that the WFI had already given Phogat five chances to appear before the committee – chances she says she missed only because her writ petition was still pending.

The underlying tension here is more than just a procedural hiccup. It touches on a broader question: how should sporting bodies treat athletes who step away for motherhood? The Delhi High Court, in an earlier order, had allowed Phogat to compete in the Asian Games selection trials, noting the “restrictive eligibility conditions” could unfairly penalise athletes taking maternity leave.

For now, the matter is slated for another hearing on Thursday. Both sides – Phogat’s lawyers Ashita Khanna and Ritwik Prakash, and the WFI’s representatives – will be back in the courtroom, and the wrestling world will be watching closely.

Whatever the outcome, the case shines a spotlight on the need for more flexible, athlete‑friendly policies in Indian sport, especially when it comes to balancing the demands of elite competition with the realities of life beyond the mat.