Delhi HC Refuses Immediate Relief To Vinesh Phogat, Seeks WFI Reply On Eligibility For Asian Games Trials

New Delhi, May 18: The Delhi High Court on Monday refused to grant immediate relief to grappler Vinesh Phogat "without hearing the other side" after she sought a direction permitting her to compete in the selection trials on May 30-31 for this year's Asian Games despite being declared "ineligible" by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).

The court, however, permitted her to give a "comprehensive reply" to WFI on the show cause notice issued to her over accusations of indiscipline and anti-doping rule violations.

Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav directed the WFI to take the show cause notice to "its logical conclusion" by July 6 and place its decision before it.

The judge issued notice to the WFI and the Centre on Phogat's petition over her "ineligibility", and said a balance must be maintained between the "competing interests" in this case.

The senior counsel representing Phogat argued that she should be permitted to participate in the Asian Games trials scheduled for May 30-31.

He emphasised that while internationally, the ranking and status of female athletes on maternity leave are protected, the latest WFI policy excluded her.

"You have already been declared ineligible. How can we grant you that relief without hearing the other side... The (WFI) policy will have to be looked into. There are competing interests. Yes, we appreciate (that you were on a maternity break), but at the same time, national interest is there.

"Therefore, let them file a reply," Justice Kaurav remarked orally.

The court granted two weeks to the respondents to file their replies to the petition.

Phogat's counsel said there was "something more than what meets the eye" in this case, as she was barred from participating in a competition in Gonda on May 10-11 after the show cause notice was issued to her a day before.

"The show cause notice is issued to me on May 9. You raise issues of the Paris Olympics 2024. There is something more than what meets the eye," the senior counsel said, adding that Phogat should be allowed to give a detailed reply to the notice.

The court listed the matter for hearing on July 6 and said, "The petitioner, therefore, is granted liberty to file a comprehensive reply to the said show cause notice.

"WFI, in the meantime, is directed to take the show cause notice to its logical conclusion before the next date of hearing. Decision, if any, be brought on record." The WFI had declared Phogat ineligible to participate in domestic events till June 26, 2026, citing the mandatory six-month notice period linked to athletes returning from retirement under anti-doping rules.

A defiant Vinesh, however, showed up at the National Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda.

Phogat had participated in the protest by women wrestlers in 2023 against alleged sexual harassment by WFI's then-president Brijbhushan Sharan Singh.

In August 2024, she was disqualified from the 50kg category Olympic finals for being 100 gm overweight in the morning weigh-in.

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