Delhi High Court Allows Vinesh Phogat in Asian Games Trials

The Delhi High Court has permitted wrestler Vinesh Phogat to participate in the upcoming Asian Games selection trials, ruling that motherhood cannot be grounds for exclusion from sport. The court's order, issued on May 22, overturns a decision by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) that had declared the celebrated athlete ineligible for domestic events.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia directed that Phogat be allowed to compete in the trials scheduled for May 30-31. The court stated that the WFI's selection policy was "exclusionary" and that institutional frameworks must accommodate the physiological realities female athletes face during pregnancy and postpartum recovery. The bench emphasized that motherhood is a natural aspect of life deserving of sensitivity and should not lead to marginalization.

The ruling came during a hearing of Phogat's appeal against a single-judge order from May 18, which had denied her immediate relief. The WFI had declared Phogat ineligible to participate until June 2026, citing a mandatory six-month notice period for athletes returning from retirement under anti-doping rules. Phogat, who gave birth...