In a temporary relief, the top court on Friday granted permission to star wrestler Vinesh Phogat to take part in the Asian Games selection trials, adding to concerns over the ruling by the Delhi High Court in its earlier decision to block the Federation of Wrestling of India (WFI).
A bench headed by Justice PS Narasimha and Justice Alok Aradhe said that it was doing so grudgingly looking into Phogat’s achievements and contribution to the sport of wrestling in India. But the bench further observed that it will look into the observations made by the High Court, especially those regarding the selection policy of WFI.
The controversy started after the High Court at Delhi issued its judgment that the criteria for selecting the Asian Games had been unfair as it had considered only the past performance of top-tier athletes by excluding those who did not win medals at the 2025 games. The High Court had noted that Phogat was on maternity leave and on the recovery phase from her injuries, thus she did not complete the qualifying events, as a result of the policy.
The Supreme Court, while granting relief, asked the way constitutional courts intrude upon sports federations’ activities, noting that their excessive involvement could pose problems for sport federations at the national and international level. The bench also pointed out that the concept of “womanhood” should not be the only consideration to change the sports policy.
Senior advocate Madhavi Divan, representing Phogat, contended that the previous WFI policies always took account of past performances of successful sports participants and their stature in the selection process. She added that Phogat was only trying to get a fair shot to participate in the trials and showcase her skills on the mat.
The case has brought the issue of athlete welfare, maternity breaks and selection fairness to the forefront of Indian sports.