Delhi HC slams WFI for show cause notice to Vinesh Phogat terming her Olympics disqualification a national shame

The Delhi High Court on Friday chastised the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) for issuing a show-cause notice to wrestler Vinesh Phogat saying that she had caused national embarrassment by being disqualified from the Paris Olympics for being overweight ahead of her gold medal match. .A Division Bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia said that Phogat suffered a mishap in the Olympics and rather than fixing the responsibility on the sports managers, WFI was blaming her. “Is this how you are serving the cause of wrestling in the country? This mishap happened in the Olympics with the lady in the finals, and you have written it was a national shame. In the finals, she was disqualified and was it a national shame? How did the people of this country treat her? Was it a national shame?” the Court remarked. .The Court also noted the change in WFI’s policy for selection to the Asian Games trials and said that it must not act in vengeance.While the new policy, issued in February 2026, limits participation in these trials to medal winners of certain competitions held in 2025 and 2026, the earlier policy allowed authorities discretion in exceptional cases for internationally accomplished wrestlers. It is Phogat’s case that the selection window has been narrowed to overlap with her maternity-related absence, childbirth and post-partum recovery. Senior Advocate Rajshekhar Rao appeared for Phogat. He said that she became eligible to participate in events in January 2026 and that her registration was also accepted. “I reach the venue, and I am told that I am barred on the eve of the event…Look at the show cause notice. Someone must be clutching at straws,” he said. The Bench today questioned the departure from past practices, stating that the Federation must not act in vengeance. “She became a mother in July, and we are in May. We are a country that celebrates motherhood, not denounce it. She is a wrestler of international repute. Why shouldn’t we presume that you changed it only because of her?” the Court asked. It also questioned the Central government over its inaction against WFI for issuing show cause notice to Phogat. “These [WFI officials] are the administrators of sports? What action have you [Central government] taken against them? Was the authority of the Department of Sports not aware that such kinds of notices were issued. If she is bringing laurels to the country, will you not give her a chance also? Has she committed any violations? Were you taken into confidence before this policy? This is absolutely a retrograde step and you are sitting silent,” the Court asked. .Counsel appearing for the Union of India said that he was also shocked at the contents of the show-cause notice. After hearing the case for some time, the Bench asked the WFI and Central government counsel to obtain instructions and constitute a body of experts to examine Phogat to ensure that she participates in the Asian Games trials. “It is not an appointment to all India services or nomination to parliament or the appointment of a judge. It is a simple trial. Ensure that she participates," the Court said..When the matter was taken up in the post-lunch session, the Court was informed that the Central government has not barred Phogat from participation in the trial and that if she clears the trial, the government is ready to invoke the exemption clause to allow her to go for the Asian Games. The counsel further said that the Sports Ministry is also ready to appoint an observer of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) for the trials and will ensure that everything is recorded on video.The Bench then requested the WFI to allow Phogat to participate in the trials. Counsel appearing for the Federation asked the Bench to list the matter on May 25 and in the meantime, Phogat can send a representation seeking exemption from the eligibility criteria to participate in the trials. However, the Court denied the request and said that it would pass orders..According to reports, Phogat has been barred from the trials as the eligibility for the wrestling trials was limited to medal winners from the 2025 Senior National Championships, the 2026 Federation Cup and the Under-20 National Championships. Phogat did not compete in any of these events. She had announced her retirement following the 2024 Olympics, but returned to wrestling in December 2025.The Federation also issued a show-cause notice accusing Phogat of indiscipline, anti-doping rule violations and failure to comply with mandatory return-to-competition procedures after retirement.According to WFI, Phogat did not complete the required six-month notice period under United World Wrestling regulations before attempting a comeback. The notice also referred to her 2024 Paris Olympics disqualification for being overweight, calling it a "national embarrassment", and alleged “whereabouts failures” linked to anti-doping protocols. Phogat rejected the allegations, stating that both the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the International Testing Agency had cleared her to compete from January 2026 onward. She claimed that the Federation was attempting to force her into retirement and described the action as unfair and politically motivated..On May 21, a single-judge Bench of Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav denied any immediate relief to Phogat, prompting her to approach the Division Bench.Rao had argued on Thursday that the show-cause notice was issued to Phogat 12 hours before an event and that issues of the 2024 Paris Olympics were also raised. He urged that the Court may allow her to participate in the trials, subject to the outcome of her challenge to the new selection policy and circular issued by the WFI..No immediate Delhi HC relief for Vinesh Phogat after WFI excluded her from Asian Games trials