Delhi High Court has refused to allow wrestler Vinesh Phogat to participate in the women's selection trials for the 2026 Senior World Championship.
Vinesh Phogat: India's star wrestler Vinesh Phogat has received a big blow from the Delhi High Court regarding the selection trials for the 2026 Senior World Wrestling Championship. The court rejected her petition in which she had sought permission to participate in the women's selection trial. After this interim order of the High Court, at present the way for Vinesh Phogat to appear in the trial to be held on 14 September 2026 is closed.
Justice Swarn Kanta Sharma, in an order issued late last night, said that it would not be appropriate to give interim relaxation in the prescribed eligibility rules at the current stage. According to the court, the eligibility criteria set by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) apply equally to all players.
What did the court say on the eligibility criteria?
The Delhi High Court in its order said that the eligibility conditions prescribed in the circular dated September 7, 2026 are the same for all wrestlers. The court clarified that a player who could not participate in the scheduled competitions does not fall in the eligibility category prescribed under the existing rules. Vinesh Phogat, while seeking interim relief from the court, had argued that she could not participate in the scheduled competitions due to pregnancy, child birth and subsequent recovery. Keeping this situation in mind, he had demanded to give them an opportunity in the selection process.
However, the court said that a final decision on these circumstances and the validity of the existing policy has not yet been made. In such a situation, giving relief to any one player at the interim level by going beyond the existing eligibility conditions may lead to unequal treatment of other players in similar circumstances.
The court did not rule on the validity of the policy
The High Court also clarified in its interim order that it has not given a final opinion on the validity of the Indian Wrestling Federation's circular. The court has neither decided the final claims of Phogat's main petition nor made any finding on the merits of the pending disciplinary proceedings. This means that in the subsequent hearing on the main petition, the court can consider in detail the selection rules for female players and issues related to return to the game after motherhood. Due to lack of interim relief at present, Phogat will not be able to participate in the upcoming trial.
Trials to be held in Delhi on 14th September
The selection trials of the Indian women's team for the 2026 Senior World Wrestling Championships are scheduled on September 14 at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi. The Indian team is to be selected for the upcoming World Championship through these trials. Vinesh Phogat had moved the court on September 7 challenging the eligibility circular issued by WFI. She said that due to this policy she is not able to compete in the selection trials for the World Championships.
In the application filed along with her main petition, she had also sought that a more systematic and fair system be created for female players returning to competitive wrestling after pregnancy and maternity leave.
World Championship will be held in Kazakhstan
The 2026 Senior World Wrestling Championships is scheduled to be held in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, from October 24 to November 1. It is necessary for Indian wrestlers to go through the selection process at the national level before making a place in this competition. Vinesh Phogat's case is also important because it is not just an issue of the selection process of a player. It also adds to the wider debate over selection criteria and policies for female players returning to top-level sport after motherhood.