New Delhi, June 4: The Supreme Court has dismissed the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) petition regarding Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat. The WFI had challenged a Delhi High Court order allowing Phogat to participate in the selection trials for the 2026 Asian Games.
The Supreme Court stated that under its interim order, Phogat had already taken part in the Asian Games selection trials, making further hearings unnecessary. During a previous hearing, the High Court had granted Phogat permission to compete in the trials. However, she was unable to qualify for the Asian Games.
Phogat faced defeat in the semifinals of the 53-kilogram category against Meenakshi Goyat, who won the match 6-4, shattering Phogat’s dreams of competing in the Games. Despite this setback, Phogat expressed her determination to not give up and promised a strong comeback.
The WFI had issued a show-cause notice to Phogat, raising four questions regarding her conduct. They accused her of indiscipline and violations of anti-doping regulations. Consequently, she was barred from participating in any domestic tournaments until June 26, which prevented her from competing in the National Open Ranking Tournament. The WFI claimed that disciplinary action was underway against Phogat under World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rule 5.6.1, which was the reason for her exclusion from the trials.
Following the WFI’s decision, Phogat approached the Delhi High Court, seeking intervention in the matter. The High Court provided significant relief by allowing her to participate in the Asian Games trials and reprimanded the WFI for their actions.
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