Vinesh Phogat’s bid to participate in the selection trials for the 2026 Senior World Wrestling Championships ended as the Delhi High Court denied interim exemption. The wrestler alleged that she could not participate in the competitions required by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) due to her maternity leave.
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, decided the interim matter during the hearing of Phogat’s petition, which seeks judicial review of the WFI’s circular, dated September 7. Trials are to be conducted at the Indira Gandhi Stadium on September 14.
Delhi High Court Rejects Vinesh Phogat’s Plea
In addition, the court recognized Phogat’s condition, like pregnancy, labor, and postpartum period, as factors affecting the application of the policy. Yet, the court declared that these factors in isolation could not justify a temporary order permitting her to run in the trials without meeting the specified eligibility requirements.
The statement from the court read, “To reiterate, the criteria prescribed under the circular dated September 7, 2026 apply uniformly to all athletes. An athlete who has not participated in the prescribed competitions, for whatever reason, would not fall within the eligibility categories specified by respondent no. 1 (WFI).”
“Granting such interim relief to the petitioner alone, without first adjudicating upon the policy itself, may consequently result in unequal treatment of similarly situated athletes who are not before this court,” the courth further added.
Delhi High Court Asks For Maternity Leave Provisions
Thursday’s Delhi High Court verdict urged the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) to seriously think of creating guidelines that will make it easier for female athletes to come back and participate in competitive sports after having children and being on maternity leave. The Court added that it is necessary to strike harmony between the goals and interests of the nation and those of the athlete, without giving preference to one over the other.
Pragun is a passionate cricket follower and writer who deeply loves the game. Having completed his education with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, he has an experience of almost two years in diverse fields. He is known for his statistical and analytical articles. Pragun tries to bring life to his articles by adding a layer of enthusiasm from the perspective of a hardcore fan. Apart from writing cricket articles, he sometimes appears on YouTube videos on a friend’s podcast.
