THE DELHI HIGH COURT pulled up the Wrestling Federation of India for declaring Vinesh Phogat ineligible for domestic events, directing the Centre to constitute an expert panel to evaluate her ahead of the Asian Games selection trials.
A bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia said the WFI’s departure from its earlier practice of allowing reputed athletes to participate “speaks volumes.” It cautioned the federation against acting with “vengeance.” The bench also noted that motherhood is celebrated in the country, as Phogat seeks a return from maternity leave.
The government counsel informed the court that SAI’s framework allows relaxation of eligibility criteria in certain cases.
