'In interest of sports and justice': Delhi HC allows Vinesh Phogat to participate in Asian Games selection trials

NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court has allowed celebrated wrestler Vinesh Phogat to participate in the upcoming Asian Games selection trials, observing that the move is necessary "in the interest of sports and justice."Also Read: Delhi high court pulls up wrestling federation for declaring Vinesh Phogat 'ineligibile' for domestic eventsA bench comprising Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia also directed the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) to video-record the trials scheduled for May 30 and 31. The court further ordered that independent observers from the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) remain present during the process.“The appellant shall be permitted to participate in the selection trials for the Asian Games, 2026, which are scheduled for 30.05.2026 and 31.05.2026,” the court said in its order uploaded on Saturday, a day after it was passed.“The policy and the circular are clearly exclusionary in nature as they do not give any discretion to Respondent No.1 (WFI) to consider iconic players like the appellant in view of the sabbatical taken on account of her maternity leave,” it added.The bench was referring to the federation's earlier practice of allowing "reputed athletes" to participate based on past performances.The order came on Phogat’s appeal against a May 18 ruling by a single-judge bench that had denied her interim relief regarding participation in the trials.The Asian Games will be played in Japan's Aichi prefecture from September 19 to October 4.Phogat was disqualified from the women’s 50kg final at the 2024 Summer Olympics Paris after being found 100 grams overweight during the morning weigh-in.Subsequently, she announced her retirement from the sport and entered politics by joining the Congress party. She won the Julana assembly seat in her home state of Haryana and was elected as an MLA.In December last year, Phogat came out of retirement and announced her intention to compete at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.She was one of the leading faces of the 2023 wrestlers’ protest against then-WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, a member of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The protesting wrestlers accused Singh of sexual harassment allegations, which he denied.(With PTI inputs)