New Delhi, May 18: Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat has faced a setback from the Delhi High Court. The court has denied her request to participate in the upcoming Asian Games selection trials, following her disqualification by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).
Phogat was issued a notice for alleged misconduct and violations of anti-doping regulations. The court has directed the WFI to respond within two weeks.
In her petition, Phogat sought permission to compete in the Asian Games selection trials scheduled for May 30-31. She argued that her disqualification by the Wrestling Federation of India should not prevent her from participating. However, the High Court stated that no interim relief could be granted without hearing the WFI’s side.
During the hearing on Monday, Judge Purushendra Kumar refused to issue any interim orders. The court emphasized that it could not provide directions without considering the federation’s arguments. Nevertheless, Phogat has been allowed to submit a detailed response to the notice issued by the WFI. The court will make a decision after hearing both parties, with the next hearing set for July 6.
Last week, after being barred from participating in the Senior National Open Ranking Tournament, Phogat defended her eligibility. She stated that both the International Testing Agency (ITA) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) had cleared her to return to competitions starting January 1, 2026.
The former world championship medalist participated in the National Open Ranking Tournament and met with WFI President Sanjay Singh. The federation claims she cannot compete due to ongoing disciplinary actions under WADA rule 5.6.1, which applies to retired athletes wishing to return to competition.
Phogat has maintained that she has never violated anti-doping rules, admitting only to a single instance of negligence regarding her whereabouts information.
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