Delhi High Court Orders WFI to Decide on Vinesh Phogats Notices Within Two Weeks
The Delhi High Court has directed the WFI to resolve notices issued to wrestler Vinesh Phogat within two weeks to ensure her competitive readiness.
New Delhi, October 30 (Daily Kiran) : The Delhi High Court has instructed the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) to make a decision regarding the show-cause notices issued to wrestler Vinesh Phogat within two weeks. Justice Amit Mahajan’s bench emphasized that uncertainty surrounding disciplinary proceedings could adversely affect an athlete’s mental preparedness.
The court highlighted the importance of maintaining a stress-free and mentally healthy state for athletes, particularly before competitions, to ensure optimal performance. This ruling came during the hearing of Phogat’s petition challenging two show-cause notices issued by the WFI on May 9 and June 17.
Phogat expressed concerns that the federation might issue an unfavorable decision just before upcoming competitions, leaving her insufficient time to seek relief from the court. Her lawyer informed the court that she plans to participate in a national tournament scheduled for mid-December 2026. However, the pending notices loom over her preparations like a sword of Damocles.
The court acknowledged Phogat’s fears as plausible and directed the relevant authorities to resolve both notices within the stipulated two-week period. It clarified that if a decision is made after this timeframe, it will not be enforced until the next hearing. Additionally, the court instructed the authorities to respond to the notices before the upcoming session.
The WFI had issued the show-cause notices to Phogat for alleged violations related to misconduct and anti-doping regulations. The federation argued that she failed to comply with the mandatory six-month notice period required for athletes returning from retirement, according to the rules set by United World Wrestling. It also accused her of not providing her whereabouts while in the registered testing pool and failing to meet doping testing protocols.
