The Delhi High Court criticised the Wrestling Federation of India for declaring Vinesh Phogat ineligible after maternity leave, questioning its deviation from norms. It stressed motherhood is celebrated and warned the federation against acting with “vengeance” in review.
Delhi High Court pulled up the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) for declaring wrestler Vinesh Phogat ineligible for domestic competitions, questioning why the federation had deviated from its earlier selection norms after she took a maternity break.
The Bench noted that WFI’s move away from its previous approach of allowing established athletes to compete speaks volumes.
It also asked the Centre to ensure that Phogat, who is seeking to return after her maternity leave, is permitted to take part in the upcoming Asian Games selection trials.
The court underlined that motherhood is respected and celebrated in the country, and said the federation should not act vengeance.
The dispute began after WFI issued a 15-page show-cause notice to Phogat on May 9. The notice accused her of indiscipline, procedural violations related to anti-doping regulations, and alleged harm to India’s reputation in wrestling during the Paris Olympics.
WFI then declared her ineligible for domestic events until June 26, citing a mandatory six-month notice requirement under anti-doping rules for athletes returning from retirement.
Phogat challenged the decision, arguing that WFI had revised its selection standards to restrict Asian Games trials only to athletes who had recently won domestic medals an opportunity she said she missed due to pregnancy and her subsequent maternity recovery.
Even after the ban, she reportedly participated in the National Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda.
Phogat’s senior counsel urged the court to allow her to compete in the trials, saying the show-cause notice issued on May 9 one day before her participation in the Gonda event shows that someone is trying to remove her from contention.
The court expressed displeasure at the show-cause notice, calling Phogat’s disqualification from the Paris Olympics a national shame, and questioning why WFI’s changed approach to her selection should not be presumed.
The court orally remarked,
“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?”
It added,
“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,”
Phogat had earlier been among the women wrestlers who led protests in 2023 against allegations of sexual harassment involving WFI’s then-president, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.