5 min readNew DelhiSep 10, 2026 05:46 PM IST
Olympian wrestler Vinesh Phogat has argued that keeping her out of the selection trials for international tournaments could effectively end her career, while the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has said she can return to competition by winning medals at state- and national-level events and “climb back up” to the selection trials.
Phogat has moved the Delhi High Court, seeking to participate in the Senior World Wrestling Championship’s selection trials on September 14.
On Thursday, the court said it may consider allowing Phogat to participate subject to conditions.
“I’ll pass an order… (she) can be allowed to participate (in the selection trials in New Delhi) (which will be) subject to the outcome (in Phogat’s pleas),” Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma said.
Phogat said if she is out of the trials, she will be ineligible to participate in any international tournament for the rest of the year. To which WFI’s counsel Hemant Phalpher argued before the court, “She is very much welcome to win medals and then climb back up from the state-level, then national-level championships. She has not won medals in many years.”
‘This is a death knell’
Phogat participated in the Asian Games selection trials earlier this year, which was permitted only following directions from the HC.
WFI had barred her from participating, saying only medal winners in the previous year were eligible to participate. Phogat, who had been on a break since December 2024 — which included a maternity break — was excluded owing to this condition.
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She has also challenged the WFI’s September 7 circular prescribing the eligibility criteria for the Senior World Wrestling Championship’s selection trials, which again makes her ineligible to participate due to the same medal win criteria.
The wrestler is also facing disciplinary proceedings initiated by the WFI in May, accusing her of indiscipline, violations of anti-doping regulations, and breaches of the United World Wrestling (UWW) rules.
On Wednesday, Phogat had told the High Court that she will appear before the disciplinary committee during the day. However, on Thursday, her counsel told the court that there was no one from the committee at the venue — Constitution Club — where the hearing was expected to take place.
Emphasising on why it is important for Phogat to participate in the selection trials, senior advocate Rajshekhar Rao, representing Phogat, said she would be excluded for two years and be “finished as an athlete”.
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“This is a case of an institution which is deliberately targeting me… In the end of April, I was permitted to participate in an event at Gonda but one day before the event, I was told I am ineligible. Then (in the Asian Games selection trials participation)… the division bench (of Delhi HC) makes scathing observations (against WFI) and directs them to permit me to participate (in the Asian Games selection trials)… that happens at the end of May. One day before, they gave me a revised circular saying Gonda (event participation) will now be considered… That was the only event I could have established myself… notwithstanding that, SC allows me to participate…
“The policy repeatedly allows for people who have achieved laurels to participate (in the selection trials)… Yes, for the last one-and-half years, because of maternity or health reasons, I’ve been excluded, of course I’ve to demonstrate my ability. How do I demonstrate the ability? Either by going back to the drawing board and competing in each event, (which included) Gonda… (If WFI) wants to file a counter-affidavit by November (responding to Phogat’s contentions), this trial is over, I can’t even participate in this (Championship)… Then next year’s policy comes and again I’m excluded. So for two years I’m excluded. I’m finished as an athlete. For all practical purposes, this is a death knell… Let me participate in trials. Clearly there is a vested interest operating against me…,” Rao argued.
Phogat was not allowed to participate in the National Open Ranking tournament at Gonda, after the WFI cited disciplinary proceedings it had initiated two days before the tournament.
Gonda is also former WFI president Brij Bhushan Singh’s home turf, whom Phogat, among several others, had accused of sexual harassment. A Delhi court last month acquitted him of all charges.
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What the court said
Justice Sharma expressed her displeasure at WFI’s stance on Thursday.
Addressing WFI’s counsel, Justice Sharma remarked, “This is the problem. A woman, she will get married, then give birth to a child and that interim period (during and post child birth) goes for her. In that period, men will go and win medals and will qualify and women will have to… regain whatever they have lost…. one is being unfair. Even in the profession of law, so many (women advocates) tell this, that once they come back (after maternity break), their clients don’t come back… You have to make some guidelines which will balance the interest of the country and the individual…”
