The Delhi High Court has asked the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) to respond by the end of December to wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s application for permission to participate in the selection trials for the 2026 Senior World Wrestling Championship. This comes just days before the trials are due in New Delhi, and is another chapter in Phogat’s long-standing dispute with the WFI.
Phogat has challenged the eligibility conditions given by the WFI for the upcoming selection trials. The federation's September 7 circular set out specific categories of wrestlers who would be allowed to compete for a place in the Indian team for the World Championship. Phogat has claimed that they effectively prevent her from participating because she does not fall in any of the categories mentioned in the circular.
The Delhi High Court considered Phogat’s request for urgent relief and directed the WFI counsel to take instructions on the matter. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma also considered her request regarding the disciplinary proceedings initiated against her. The court held that no final order should be passed in those proceedings until the matter is heard.
The selection trials will be held on September 14 at Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi. They will decide the Indian wrestling contingent for the 2026 Senior World Wrestling Championship, which is scheduled for Astana, Kazakhstan, from October 24 to November 1.
What are the criteria of WFI?
According to the WFI circular challenged by Phogat, eligibility for the selection trials has been limited to specified medal winners from certain national-level competitions, wrestlers at the National Coaching Camp and athletes selected for the 2026 U20 World Wrestling Championship.
Phogat has argued that she does not meet the requirements under these categories. Her legal challenge is that her absence from some of the tournaments mentioned in the eligibility conditions was due to her maternity break and subsequent recovery.
A court hearing in which Phogat’s counsel Rajshekhar Rao argued her maternity break should not stop her from being selected for selection and her maternity leave should not be an obstacle for selection, she said. Phogat wasn’t looking for a place in the Indian team automatically, he said but she was wanting to get an opportunity to get on the field in trials and establish herself on the mat.
The argument is about a broader issue: athletes who take breaks from competition due to pregnancy and maternity. Phogat says that a short-term absence from competition for maternity-related reasons doesn’t automatically mean you’re not going to get a chance to compete again.
The application also referred to an earlier Delhi High Court order that had allowed Phogat to participate in Asian Games selection trials. As per the court submissions, eligibility requirements in that case had raised concerns which could adversely affect athletes who temporarily step away from competition because of maternity.
Disciplinary Proceedings also Under Challenge
Phogat’s latest plea is also connected to disciplinary proceedings initiated against her following show-cause notices. The proceedings stem from indiscipline, alleged violations of anti-doping regulations and misconduct at the 2026 Asian Games selection trials.
Her counsel explained to the court that although the case concerning the disciplinary proceedings had been scheduled for September 29, the WFI had issued a notice of a hearing on September 9 and said it was Phogat’s final opportunity to appear before the disciplinary committee.
Phogat’s legal team claimed she was willing to participate in the proceedings but wanted protection against the disciplinary committee passing a final order before the court could hear her petition. The court granted her request while directing WFI to take instructions.
However, the WFI opposed the relief sought by the wrestler. Its counsel argued that Phogat had already been given several opportunities to appear before the disciplinary committee. The federation claimed that she had not attended the hearing scheduled for September 2, because of her writ petition.
The dispute over the disciplinary proceedings adds another layer to Phogat’s request to compete at the World Championship trials. While the selection issue has to do with her eligibility to enter the trials, the disciplinary proceedings may have separate consequences depending on the final decision taken by the federation.
Vinesh Phogat’s World Championship Comeback Bid
Phogat is looking forward to the selection trials as she could be on her way back to international wrestling. Her career has already featured big international wins and her continued participation is still very much under the microscope in Indian wrestling.
But the immediate question is whether she will be allowed to participate in the September 14 trials. The Delhi High Court’s intervention means that the issue will now be considered judicially, with the WFI expected to respond to the wrestler’s claims.
The court will hear the matter today. But the final outcome of Phogat’s participation remains uncertain. The court’s decisions could determine whether she gets a chance to compete and if WFI’s eligibility criteria continue to prevent her from entering into the trials.
The case may also have broader implications beyond Phogat’s own sporting aspirations. The dispute has brought to light how selection rules account for athletes who take maternity breaks and return to the top level of sport. How long those objective criteria for eligibility and the circumstances that affect an athlete’s career will be determined as a matter of law will be an integral part of the legal debate.
Phogat will now focus on winning the chance to compete. If she can enter the trials she would still need to perform well against the other wrestlers to get selected for the World Championship. So the court’s hearing will be a key point in deciding if that opportunity remains open.
