Delhi High Court allows Vinesh Phogat to participate in Asian Games trials

May 23, 2026

On Saturday, the Delhi High Court allowed wrestler Vinesh Phogat to participate in the selection trials for the 2026 Asian Games. These trials will be held in New Delhi on May 30. Vinesh can participate in the 57 kg category.

Court expresses displeasure over WFI’s attitude

During the hearing, the court questioned the attitude of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and said that the action against Phogat appears to be “vindictive.”

A bench comprising Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyay and Justice Tejas Karia directed that the trials be videotaped. The Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) were also asked to appoint two independent observers.

WFI Declared Ineligible

Earlier, the WFI had declared Vinesh Phogat ineligible to participate in domestic competitions until June 26, 2026. The federation stated that a six-month notice period is required under anti-doping rules for athletes returning from retirement.

However, despite this, Vinesh attended the National Open Ranking Tournament held in Gonda.

Maternity Leave and Recovery Taken into Account

The High Court stated that Vinesh’s exclusion from the trials was related to her maternity leave and the break she took during recovery. This is why she could not participate in the qualifying championship.

The court also stated that the current rules do not provide any special exemptions for senior athletes returning after maternity leave or recovery.

Court also stern on Paris Olympics comment

The court also expressed displeasure with the WFI for calling Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification from the 2024 Paris Olympics a “national embarrassment.”

The court noted that the Court of Arbitration for Sport had found no fault on Vinesh’s part. The High Court described the WFI’s comments as “premeditated,” “ill-conceived,” and “malicious.”