The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has confirmed it will not challenge the Delhi High Court order directing it to allow Vinesh Phogat to compete in the Asian Games 2026 selection trials, scheduled for 30 and 31 May in New Delhi. Federation sources confirmed the stance on Sunday, 24 May, a day after the court issued its ruling in favour of the Olympian and two-time World Championships medallist.

What the Court Directed

The Delhi High Court ordered the WFI to permit Phogat to participate in the upcoming trials and mandated that the entire selection process be video-recorded and overseen by independent observers from the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). A Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya delivered the interim relief, observing that barring Phogat from the trials would render her pending writ petition meaningless.

The Bench stated that allowing her to compete was necessary 'in the interest of sport and justice.'

WFI's Response and the Asiad Uncertainty

'We respect the court order and the WFI will not challenge the decision. Let her compete in the trials,' federation sources said. However, the WFI flagged a logistical complication: the list of participants for the Asian Games had already been submitted to Japan earlier this month, before the court's intervention.

When asked whether Phogat could make the final squad if she wins the trials, sources indicated it was no longer entirely within the federation's control. 'If, by any chance, we manage to include her as an iconic player, she will have to compete in the 50kg category,' they said. Her participation in the Asiad, therefore, remains uncertain despite the legal victory.

Court's Rebuke on Maternity and Exclusion

The court was sharply critical of the WFI's selection framework, holding that the federation's policy failed to adequately account for Phogat's maternity-related break and post-partum recovery, which overlapped with the qualifying competitions listed under eligibility criteria.

'Motherhood must be viewed as a natural and deeply significant aspect of life that deserves accommodation and institutional sensitivity. Therefore, the law must ensure that motherhood does not become a ground for exclusion or marginalisation of female athletes such as the appellant,' the Bench observed.

The court also condemned the language in a show-cause notice the WFI had issued to Phogat earlier this month, which referenced her disqualification from the Paris Olympics final after failing the weigh-in. The Bench described the federation's characterisation of that incident as a 'national embarrassment' as 'deplorable' and 'vindictive.'

Background: What Phogat Had Argued

Phogat had challenged the WFI's Asian Games selection policy issued in February, along with a subsequent circular and the show-cause notice, contending she had been unfairly excluded despite formally informing both international and domestic authorities about her maternity-related sabbatical. During hearings, the WFI maintained that its policy applied uniformly to all wrestlers and that no exemptions were permissible.

The court, however, noted that earlier WFI guidelines had allowed 'iconic players' to compete in selection trials even without fulfilling standard eligibility conditions — a precedent that undermined the federation's uniformity argument.

What Happens Next

Phogat will now be eligible to compete at the trials on 30 and 31 May in New Delhi. Whether she ultimately travels to the Asian Games will depend on the outcome of those trials, the WFI's ability to add her name to the already-submitted entry list, and any further legal or administrative developments. The case has drawn fresh attention to how Indian sports bodies accommodate female athletes during and after pregnancy.