Vinesh Phogat Challenges WFI Over Exclusion from Trials

The Delhi High Court has issued a notice to the Wrestling Federation of India following wrestler Vinesh Phogat's plea against her exclusion from trials for upcoming games. Despite Phogat's calls for immediate relief, the court denied it and set the matter for a July 6 hearing.

The Delhi High Court on Monday issued a notice to the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) after wrestler Vinesh Phogat filed a plea. Phogat challenged the WFI's show cause notice and her exclusion from the trial list for upcoming competitions. The court, however, declined to offer immediate relief, scheduling a hearing for July 6.

Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, overseeing the proceedings, stated that the issue would be examined in July without interim relief. Senior Advocate Raj Shekhar Rao, representing Phogat, pushed for urgent intervention, noting that the trials would conclude by the next court date.

The WFI issued a show-cause notice on May 9, citing Phogat for indiscipline and alleged anti-doping violations. She was barred from competing in the National Open Ranking Tournament. The WFI accused her of several breaches, including failure to make weight at the Paris 2024 Olympics and alleged anti-doping rule violations. Phogat's disqualification was termed a 'national embarrassment' by WFI, stressing her duty to adhere to weight regulations during competitions.

Phogat, a three-time Olympian, initially announced her retirement after missing weight for the gold-medal match at Paris 2024 but reversed her decision, aiming for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. She had reached the final of Paris 2024 by defeating several prominent wrestlers, marking an impressive run.

Her remarkable achievements include gold medals in the 53 kg category at both the 2018 Asian Games and Commonwealth Games. Phogat's path to the Paris 2024 final showcased victories against elite competitors like Tokyo 2020 champion Yui Susaki, European champion Oksana Livach, and Pan American Games winner Yusneylis Guzman.