The Delhi high court on Tuesday sought Wrestling Federation of India’s (WFI) response to quash the disciplinary proceedings initiated against wrestler Vinesh Phogat pursuant to show-cause notices (SCN) alleging indiscipline, violations of anti-doping regulations, and misconduct during the 2026 Asian Games selection trials.
A bench of justice Swarana Kanta Sharma asked WFI’s counsel to obtain instructions after Phogat’s lawyers, senior advocate Rajshekhar Rao and advocates Ashita Khanna and Ritwik Prakash, submitted that the federation failed to comply with high court’s July 6 direction to decide, within two weeks, the May 9 SCN, alleging indiscipline and violations of anti-doping regulations.
Rao further submitted that the WFI issued another notice on June 17 concerning Phogat’s conduct during the selection trials. He added that despite repeated requests, the federation initially proceeded without disclosing the composition of the disciplinary committee and uploaded the same on WFI’s website only on July 30, after Phogat raised specific objections in this regard.
He said the federation subsequently issued a communication dated August 21 scheduling the disciplinary proceedings for September 2, despite a request to defer the proceedings, the WFI declined to do so and said that the disciplinary process would continue as scheduled.
WFI’s counsel, Hemant Phalpher, submitted that Phogat had been called to appear before the disciplinary committee on two occasions but failed to do so. He said the federation now granted her a final opportunity to appear before the committee on September 2, place her submissions on record and the court must direct her to appear.
{{/usCountry}}WFI’s counsel, Hemant Phalpher, submitted that Phogat had been called to appear before the disciplinary committee on two occasions but failed to do so. He said the federation now granted her a final opportunity to appear before the committee on September 2, place her submissions on record and the court must direct her to appear.
{{/usCountry}}The court however, clarified that it was neither directing Phogat’s appearance nor issuing notice on the petition, and had only asked WFI’s counsel to obtain instructions. The matter would be next heard on September 29.
The same bench, also issued notice in a separate petition filed by Phogat seeking implementation of a fair, transparent and structured framework governing return of women athletes to competitive sport following pregnancy, child birth and post partum recovery so that the same does not by itself operate to their disadvantage in accessing domestic competitions, selection trials or subsequent selection opportunities.
In that petition, the court sought WFI, Indian Olympic Association and Centre’s response and fixed November 18 as the next date of hearing.
In her petition, Phogat cited her own experience, stating that upon resuming her wrestling career after childbirth, she was required to re-enter the competitive pathway without any accommodation or relaxation for the period during which she was unable to compete due to maternity.
“Competitive and selection framework adopted by Respondent No.1 failed to account for the petitioner’s maternity-related absence and, in its operation, placed the petitioner at a structural disadvantage. The eligibility criteria were substantially based upon performances in competitions conducted during the period when the petitioner was away from competition on account of pregnancy, childbirth and post-partum recovery, without providing any alternative qualification mechanism or other reasonable accommodation for athletes returning from maternity,” the petition said.
To be sure, the Delhi high court on May 22, while allowing Phogat to participate in the selection trials observed that WFI’s selection criteria for the Asian Games which restricted eligibility to wrestlers who won medals in 2025 while disregarding earlier performances was exclusionary.
It left no discretion for the federation to consider accomplished athletes like Phogat, who had taken a sabbatical due to maternity leave, and also marked a significant deviation from the past practice.
In its order the court observed that Phogat’s exclusion from the selection trials was directly linked to her sabbatical and the temporary eligibility requirements. It noted that her maternity period and subsequent recovery coincided with the timing of the championships necessary to satisfy the eligibility criteria, thereby affecting her ability to qualify for the trials.
Phogat earlier revealed that she was among the six women wrestlers who lodged sexual harassment complaints against former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Alongside Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, she was one of the leading faces of the 36-day protest held at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar in April and May 2023 against Singh.
A trial court in Delhi on August 3 acquitted former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of all sexual harassment and criminal intimidation charges.