Wrestling Federation Challenges Court Order on Vinesh Phogat's Trial Inclusion

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has approached the Supreme Court to contest the Delhi High Court's ruling permitting Olympian Vinesh Phogat to join the selection trials for the 2026 Asian Games. The trials are set to take place this Saturday.

In a Special Leave Petition, the WFI has described the Delhi High Court's order as "ex facie illegal" and criticized the lack of opportunity to offer a comprehensive response before the court's directions favored Vinesh. The federation emphasized that the High Court's directive to include Vinesh in the Asian Games trials contradicted the published selection criteria, which allegedly disqualified her.

The WFI further stated that selection for international sporting events is the sole jurisdiction of the recognized National Sports Federation and cautioned against "judicial overreach." The dispute's history reveals Vinesh's voluntary retirement in December 2024 and the fact that she failed to meet anti-doping and testing requirements post-retirement.

Highlighting that the selection policy had no special exemptions for iconic players or maternal considerations, the federation noted that 12 wrestlers had already been chosen based on merit and performance. It also pointed out the expired accreditation deadlines and ongoing disciplinary proceedings against Vinesh, arguing for a resolution before further proceedings.

(With inputs from agencies.)