Vinesh Phogat Wins Legal Battle but Loses on the Mat - Fails to Qualify for Asian Games

On Thursday, the Supreme Court threw out WFI's petition. They were protesting the Delhi High Court's go-ahead for wrestler Vinesh Phogat to compete in the Asian Games 2026 selection trials. However, the court pointed out that the trials had wrapped up anyway, making a new hearing pointless. Still, the court stressed that dismissing the petition doesn't show agreement with the High Court's notes; legal questions remain wide open for later down the line.

A bench of Justices P.S. Narasimha and Arvind Kumar stated that the selection process in question has now been completed, and the Special Leave Petition (SLP) has automatically become ineffective. The bench stated in its order, "In view of subsequent developments, this special leave petition has become ineffective. This Court's order will not be seen as a reaffirmation of the High Court's findings and observations. All issues are kept open."

During the hearing, senior advocate D.N. Goburdhun, representing the WFI, sought the removal of certain adverse remarks made by the Delhi High Court. He argued that the High Court had made comments questioning the federation's motives while granting interim relief, which could impact pending proceedings. However, the Supreme Court refused to expunge these remarks.

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) banned Vinesh Phogat from the 2026 Asian Games trials due to their new selection policy. In response, Vinesh took the issue to the Delhi High Court. Recently, a division bench there gave an interim order that allowed her to participate in the trials. According to the court, being a mother shouldn't bar athletes from such opportunities. They added that the WFI’s policy didn't properly address maternity leave or the recovery time needed after giving birth.