The Delhi High Court on Friday, May 22, strongly criticised the Wrestling Federation of India for attempting to block wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s return to competitive wrestling ahead of the Asian Games 2026. Pulling up the federation over its decision to declare Phogat ineligible for domestic events, the court directed authorities to ensure that the decorated wrestler is allowed to participate in the upcoming Asian Games selection trials.
In sharp observations during the hearing, the High Court questioned why Indian wrestling should continue to suffer because of the prolonged conflict between Vinesh Phogat and the federation.
“Whatever may be the feud or dispute, why should the cause of wrestling suffer?” the court remarked while hearing the matter.
ENSURE TRIALS FOR VINESH PHOGAT: DELHI HC
The court also asked the Centre to constitute an expert committee to evaluate Phogat’s case and ensure her participation in the selection process for the Asian Games.
The remarks come weeks after the Wrestling Federation of India announced a fresh eligibility criteria for the Asian Games selection trials, effectively shutting the door on Phogat’s comeback.
Under the new rules, only medal winners from selected tournaments in 2025 and 2026 would be eligible to compete in the trials. Since Phogat has not participated in any professional event following her heartbreaking disqualification at the Paris Olympics 2024, she was automatically ruled out under the criteria.
The High Court appeared unconvinced by the federation’s reasoning and openly questioned the timing and intent behind the sudden change in selection policy.
“Motherhood is celebrated in this country,” the court observed, while commenting on Phogat’s return to wrestling after taking a maternity break.
The court further noted that WFI’s departure from its earlier selection policies “speaks volumes”, a statement that indirectly strengthened Phogat’s allegations that the federation was deliberately trying to prevent her return to the mat.
VINESH PHOGAT vs WFI
Phogat has repeatedly accused the WFI of creating administrative hurdles to stop her from competing in domestic tournaments.
Earlier this month, the wrestler revealed that she had tried to register for the National Open Ranking Tournament, but the registration portal showed that entries had already closed before the deadline.
“I am hoping to make a comeback at the National Open Ranking Tournament. The registration for it was open till April 30. However, when I tried to register, the portal says it is now closed,” Phogat had said.
Only after she publicly raised the issue did the federation process her registration on the final day.
WFI president Sanjay Singh denied wrongdoing and maintained that her registration had already been completed, though records showed that the process was initiated only after her complaint surfaced publicly.
Phogat had also alleged similar interference ahead of the Federation Cup earlier this year.
“I intended to compete there too, but the team selection criteria were changed at the last minute, so I couldn’t take part,” she had said.
“It feels like this is a deliberate attempt to stop me from competing, especially since this is an important tournament to remain in contention for the Asian Games and World Championship selection trials,” she added.
The latest WFI notification further deepened those concerns.
According to the federation’s eligibility list, only medal winners from the following competitions would be allowed to participate in the Asian Games trials:
- Senior National Wrestling Championship 2025 in Ahmedabad
- Senior Federation Cup 2026 in Ghaziabad
- Under-20 National Wrestling Championship 2026 in Bhilai
The women’s wrestling trials are scheduled to be held on May 30 at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi, while the freestyle and Greco Roman trials will take place on May 31 at the SAI Regional Centre in Lucknow.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT ALLEGATIONS
Phogat’s standoff with the federation has been ongoing ever since she emerged as one of the leading faces of the wrestlers’ protest against former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
The protest movement eventually led to Brij Bhushan’s exit from the federation. However, several wrestlers have continued to remain at loggerheads with the WFI leadership after Sanjay Singh, widely regarded as a close associate of the former president, took over the federation.
In a major escalation earlier this month, Phogat publicly identified herself as one of the six women wrestlers who accused Brij Bhushan of sexual harassment.
In a video statement released on May 3, Phogat said she was forced to reveal her identity despite legal protections guaranteeing anonymity to complainants, claiming that repeated attempts were being made to derail her wrestling comeback before the Asian Games 2026.
She confirmed that she remains one of the complainants in the ongoing criminal case against Brij Bhushan, where witness testimonies are still being recorded.
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