Delhi High Court directs WFI to decide Vinesh Phogat show-cause notice within two weeks

The Delhi High Court has directed the Wrestling Federation of India to decide within two weeks the show-cause notice issued to Vinesh Phogat over alleged indiscipline and anti-doping violations, while disposing of her petition and allowing a fresh legal challenge

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday asked the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) to make a decision within two weeks on the show-cause notice issued to grappler Vinesh Phogat over accusations of indiscipline and anti-doping rule violations.

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma closed the proceedings on Phogat’s petition, which challenged the show-cause notice as well as the WFI’s selection policy and circular, after the Federation’s counsel submitted that her grievance relating to participation in the Asian Games selection trials was now infructuous.

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The WFI counsel assured the court that the show-cause notice would be decided and the petition could be closed.

“Within two weeks, decide the show-cause notice dated May 9 under intimation to the petitioner and the court,” the judge ordered while disposing of the petition.

The WFI counsel said Phogat would be given a personal hearing before a decision is taken on the notice.

Even as Phogat’s senior counsel asserted that the petition raised “larger issues” with respect to the selection policy, the court said the athlete would have to file a fresh petition.

“This can be disposed of, and then you can file a fresh writ petition,” the court said.

The court was informed that pursuant to judicial orders, Phogat was permitted to participate in the Asian Games trials.

The petitioner’s senior counsel informed the court that she has received a fresh show-cause notice for her conduct at the trials.

On May 9, the WFI had issued the show-cause notice to Phogat and declared her ineligible to participate in domestic events till June 26, 2026, citing the mandatory six-month notice period linked to athletes returning from retirement under anti-doping rules.

In her petition, Phogat challenged the WFI’s selection policy and circular, which limited eligibility for participation in the Asian Games trials only to medal winners of certain tournaments.

Phogat asserted that the “qualification window” chosen by WFI substantially overlapped with her notified sabbatical on account of pregnancy and postpartum recovery, which created a “closed and inflexible gatekeeping mechanism” that was manifestly arbitrary and discriminatory.

On May 18, a single-judge bench permitted Phohat to give a “comprehensive reply” to the show-cause notice. It, however, refused to give her any relief on the issue of her participation in the Asian Games trials.

A division bench, on May 22, gave its nod to her participation in the trials for the Asian Games that were held on May 30-31, saying the WFI selection policy was exclusionary for the lack of discretion to consider an iconic player like Phogat, who was returning from a maternity break.

The Supreme Court on May 29 refused to interfere with the direction and permitted her to play.

Phogat was knocked out of the Asian Games selection trials after losing to Meenakshi Goyat 4-6 in a tense semifinal bout of the women’s 53kg event.