Delhi High Court presses WFI on maternity return guidelines

The Delhi High Court on Thursday said the Wrestling Federation of India should frame clear guidelines and timelines for athletes returning to competition after pregnancy and childbirth, while hearing wrestler Vinesh Phogat's plea to participate in the women's selection trials for the 2026 Senior World Championships. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma observed that the absence of such guidelines could result in unfairness to athletes who take a break due to maternity, and said the federation must balance the interests of the country and the individual athlete. The court said it would pass an order on Phogat's application, and indicated it may consider allowing her to participate in the September 14 trials in New Delhi, subject to conditions and the outcome of her pleas. Phogat's counsel, senior advocate Rajshekhar Rao, argued that the federation was deliberately targeting her and had acted arbitrarily by informing her of the selection criteria only on September 7, a week before the trials at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in Delhi.