The Delhi High Court on Thursday declined to grant wrestler Vinesh Phogat interim relief to participate in the selection trials for the 2026 Senior World Wrestling Championships starting on September 14. 

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma said that the eligibility criteria prescribed by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) for the World Wrestling Championships could not be relaxed exclusively in Phogat’s favour at the interim stage.

“The interest of the country in ensuring that its representatives are selected through a fair, uniform and performance- based process is of paramount importance. At this interim stage, therefore, this Court is of the view that the eligibility criteria applicable to all athletes ought not to be relaxed in favour of the petitioner alone, particularly when such relaxation may have consequences for other similarly situated athletes who are not before this Court,” the Court observed. 

The World Championships will take place in Kazakhstan's Astana from October 24 to November 1.

Phogat moved the High Court challenging the WFI’s September 7 circular, which sets eligibility requirements based on participation in specified competitions during 2025 and 2026.

She argued that her absence from some of those events was due to pregnancy, childbirth and post-partum recovery.

She also said she had been prevented from participating in the Senior Open Ranking Tournament at Gonda after the WFI issued a show-cause notice declaring her ineligible.

After considering the case, the Court noted that Phogat had previously been permitted by the High Court’s Division Bench to participate in the Asian Games Selection Trials in May. She competed in the 53 kg category and reached the semi-final. However, she was not ultimately selected for the Asian Games. 

The Court also noted that a subsequent show-cause notice concerning alleged misconduct during those trials remains pending. Justice Sharma observed that WFI’s latest eligibility criteria applied uniformly to all athletes and were not framed specifically against Phogat. 

Though the Bench acknowledged that Phogat’s maternity-related absence would have to be considered when examining the validity of WFI’s selection policy, that does not, at the interim stage, entitle her to participate in the trials. 

“Permitting the petitioner to participate by granting her a special dispensation, therefore, would not only be unfair to other athletes across the country who may have a similar grievance against the policy but are not before this Court, but would also have the effect of opening a Pandora’s box, with other athletes seeking similar exceptions from the prescribed eligibility criteria. Such a direction, at this stage, cannot be issued without first examining and adjudicating upon the validity of the policy itself,” the Court ruled. 

Interestingly, during the hearing of the case, the Court had orally said that WFI must come up with guidelines to enable participation of female athletes returning after maternity leave.

Justice Sharma had orally remarked that a balance must be struck between the interests of the country and the athlete.

Senior Advocate Rajshekhar Rao along with advocates Aashita Khanna, Ritwik Prakash, Neil M Goswami and Vishakha Gupta appeared for Vinesh Phogat.

Advocate Hemant Phalpher and Karishmit Keswani represented the WFI.

[Read Order]