Supreme Court says WFI plea against Vinesh Phogat’s Asian Games trials infructuous

The dispute traces back to the Delhi High Court’s assessment of the federation’s regulatory framework. In its judgment, the High Court ruled that the WFI’s selection policy (dated February 25) and its subsequent selection criteria circular (dated May 6) were “clearly exclusionary in nature”.

The High Court criticised the policy for failing to provide any discretion to accommodate iconic athletes like Phogat, who had taken an extended maternity leave sabbatical.

“We are concerned about the method and manner with how the High Court dealt with it,” Justice Narasimha then noted, disapproving of how the lower court linked the entire disqualification to Phogat’s maternity leave. “The way the High Court puts it—as if the entire thing is because of that reason.”

The judge told Phogat’s counsel, “You had planned it out. You said I am taking a sabbatical for that reason. It’s ending in August 2025. And thereafter I am ready for participating. And then you participation takes place where two serious lapses – of not giving your whereabouts for doping test, and you missed the first doping test.”

Questioning the High Court decision, Justice Narasimha said, “Question before the HC was the legality and validity of the conditions in the Asian Games which were announced on February 25, 2026, where one had to participate in fourt games. You had not participated in those 4 games…”.

He pointed out that these rules applied “across the board” and added, “For the High Court now to say, it is rather surprising, without referring to any of the scheme, any of the rules, anything, suddenly says that this policy is exclusionary. This policy was made way back in February 2026. It applied across the board.”