The Delhi High Court on Wednesday (September 9, 2026) asked the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) to reply to a plea by grappler Vinesh Phogat seeking permission to participate in the women’s selection trials for the 2026 Senior World Championships.

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma asked the counsel for WFI to get instructions on the issue and listed the application for hearing on Thursday (September 10).

Phogat also sought a stay on the operation and implementation of a September 7 circular issued by the WFI prescribing the eligibility criteria for the selection trials which are scheduled for September 14 at Indira Gandhi Stadium in Delhi.

The fresh application was filed in the main petition in which the wrestler has sought formulation of a fair and structured framework for women athletes returning to competitive sports after pregnancy and maternity leave.

In the application, she has sought a stay on the circular as it excludes her from participating in the selection trials for the championship scheduled to be held at Astana, Kazakhstan from October 24 to November 1.

The WFI circular provides for women’s trials in six Olympic weight categories. Phogat contended that the latest selection framework creates a closed pathway by making eligibility dependent on participation and performance in specified qualifying competitions.

The plea said the circular places Phogat in a position where she is excluded not because she has been assessed and found wanting on sporting merit, but because she was unable to participate in the particular competitions selected by WFI as gateways to the present selection trials.

It said the framework contains no mechanism to account for an athlete who was unable to participate in the prescribed competitions for maternity-related reasons.

The Delhi High Court on Monday (July 6, 2026) asked the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) to decide within two weeks 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 selections trials was now infructuous.

“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 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.

The Supreme Court on Thursday (June 4, 2026) said the plea of the Wrestling Federation of India against the Delhi High Court order allowing wrestler Vinesh Phogat to participate in selection trials has become infructuous in view of subsequent developments.

A Bench of Justices P.S. Narasimha and Aravind Kumar, which refused to go into the observations made by the high court, said this court should not be taken as having reiterated the findings and observations made in the order.

The Bench said all the issues are left open.

Senior advocate D.N. Goburdhun, appearing for the WFI said that Ms. Phogat was allowed to participate in the selection trial but she did not succeed.

“She did not succeed but she created havoc over there,” the senior counsel told the Bench.

The Bench told him that the issue has now become infructuous.

Mr. Goburdhun submitted that there were certain observations made by the high court with regard to decisions of the Federation and terming them “malafide” and “deplorable”.

“All these observations will have to go as the matter is pending before the single Bench,” the senior counsel submitted.

The top court then left the questions open and disposed of the plea as infructuous.

On May 29, the top court permitted Ms. Phogat to participate in the selection trials to be held on May 30 and 31 for the Asian Games 2026.

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) had challenged the Delhi High Court order of May 22 allowing Ms. Phogat to participate in the selection trials.

The competition was in six weight categories but there was no doubt as to where the spotlight was — Mat A at the IGI Stadium, the 53kg draw and Vinesh Phogat, hoping to qualify for the Asian Games later this year.

Vinesh fell short but the drama began much before her semifinal bout late in the evening. She was first handed a copy of the WFI circular that permitted her entry in the 50kg in the early hours of Saturday (May 30, 2026), followed by more than an hour of waiting and protests before finally being allowed to weigh in.

“It was never a fair fight. I had to wait for more than an hour for weigh-in and was allowed only after our lawyers spoke of going to the court again. They put all the strong competitors in my half of the draw. But one loss doesn’t define anyone’s future. I am back after giving birth 10 months ago. I still have the courage and strength and I will work hard and return to the mat,” Vinesh said after her loss to Meenakshi in the semifinals.

The rancour between the federation and Vinesh had already given enough indications of an uneasy truce, mediated by the judiciary. “We are fighting judges, federation, the whole system on one side. The decisions were not fair but when you fight an entire system, you are a winner. I want to be an inspiration for my son. The target now is (the) LA28 (Olympics). I am proud of my fight and with the Delhi HC observations, I am sure they will be forced to make policy changes regarding female wrestlers returning after maternity,” she added.

​Ugly bout: On the show-cause notice to Vinesh Phogat

Meenakshi, meanwhile, simply shrugged off the win. “If I thought of pressure, I would never be able to compete. I simply blocked everything and only focused on doing the right things,” she said.

The competition was in six weight categories but there was no doubt as to where the spotlight was — Mat A at the IGI Stadium, the 53kg draw and Vinesh Phogat, hoping to qualify for the Asian Games later this year.

Vinesh fell short but the drama began much before her semifinal bout late in the evening. She was first handed a copy of the WFI circular that permitted her entry in the 50kg in the early hours of Saturday (May 30, 2026), followed by more than an hour of waiting and protests before finally being allowed to weigh in.

“It was never a fair fight. I had to wait for more than an hour for weigh-in and was allowed only after our lawyers spoke of going to the court again. They put all the strong competitors in my half of the draw. But one loss doesn’t define anyone’s future. I am back after giving birth 10 months ago. I still have the courage and strength and I will work hard and return to the mat,” Vinesh said after her loss to Meenakshi in the semifinals.

The rancour between the federation and Vinesh had already given enough indications of an uneasy truce, mediated by the judiciary. “We are fighting judges, federation, the whole system on one side. The decisions were not fair but when you fight an entire system, you are a winner. I want to be an inspiration for my son. The target now is (the) LA28 (Olympics). I am proud of my fight and with the Delhi HC observations, I am sure they will be forced to make policy changes regarding female wrestlers returning after maternity,” she added.

​Ugly bout: On the show-cause notice to Vinesh Phogat

Meenakshi, meanwhile, simply shrugged off the win. “If I thought of pressure, I would never be able to compete. I simply blocked everything and only focused on doing the right things,” she said.

A Delhi court on Tuesday (May 12, 2026) recorded the testimony of Special Investigation Team (SIT) members while examining the allegations of sexual harassment levelled by women wrestlers against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president and ex-BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Ashwani Panwar of the Rouse Avenue Court recorded the statement of SIT Inspector Sandeep and directed the Investigating Officer to depose on May 15 and 19.

Several renowned wrestlers, including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, and Sangeeta Phogat had protested for months in New Delhi in 2023, demanding the arrest of the BJP leader for allegedly sexually harassing several women grapplers, including a minor. The complaint stated that the harassment took place between 2016 and 2019 at the WFI office, at Mr. Singh’s official residence, and also during trips abroad.

Trial statements recorded

As the grapplers’ protest continued for weeks, the Union Sports Ministry had constituted an oversight committee to internally investigate the matter.

The police filed an FIR against Mr. Singh and former WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar after the intervention of the Supreme Court in May 2023. In June that year, a 1,000-page chargesheet was filed in the court.

Over the last two years, the court has recorded the trial statements of victims, witnesses, and Mr. Singh. However, a minor wrestler later took back her complaint and changed her statement.

Ms. Phogat, who is also a Congress MLA from Haryana, recently disclosed that she was among the victims in the case, almost three years after the initial sexual harassment complaints.

Mr. Singh has maintained that the case is politically motivated.

Olympic bronze-winning grappler Sakshi Malik on Tuesday (May 12, 2026) supported Vinesh Phogat in her tussle with the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) over coming back from retirement, saying that attempts are being made to block her at a time when countries World over are relaxing norms to help new mothers resume their careers.

A defiant Vinesh showed up at the National Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda even though WFI had declared her ineligible. While issuing a lengthy showcause notice to her, the WFI said she could not be allowed to compete due to the mandatory six-month notice period that athletes need to serve before returning from retirement under anti-doping rules. Vinesh, who is the mother of a 10-month old son, has responded to the notice and refused to back down despite WFI’s strict position. Sakshi was a close ally of Vinesh during the highly-publicised protest against alleged sexual harassment by WFI’s then President Brij Bhushan Singh Sharan but broke ranks after Vinesh joined the Congress party.

“I have been asked my views and I was contemplating for the last two-three days as Vinesh is an MLA from a political party and I have nothing to do with any political outfit. (But) I can give you plenty of examples of countries relaxing norms for their athletes, so that women can continue to play and win medals for the country even after becoming mothers,” she said in a video clip on her social media page.

“But our federation has come up with rules to stop Vinesh from making a comeback. I would request the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi), the Sports Minister (Mansukh Mandavia) and the WFI to take Vinesh’s trial so that she can also win medals for the country and be an example for women by winning medals after becoming a mother,” she added.

Vinesh had quit wrestling after being shockingly disqualified from the finals of the 2024 Paris Olympics for being 100gm over the prescribed weight limit. The shattered Haryana grappler eventually joined politics and was elected from the Julana constituency the same year.

At the Nandini Nagar Mahavidyalaya here, where she rose to prominence in 2012 by winning her maiden National title at the age of 18, double Worlds bronze medallist Vinesh Phogat asserted that she was eligible to make a comeback at the senior Open ranking tournament but the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) prevented her in a ‘pre-planned’ way.

The Open Ranking venue, owned by former WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, attracted all the media attention as Vinesh, accompanied by her team, came here for pre-competition verification.

The WFI, which had served Vinesh a show-cause notice and rendered her ineligible to compete on the ground that she had not informed it six months prior to coming out of retirement, turned down her request.

After meeting WFI president Sanjay Singh, Vinesh tore into the national federation and blamed Brij Bhushan in his own backyard.

“I need time to explain in detail but how can you hold me guilty before that?” she said on Monday.

Vinesh said she informed the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) about her comeback in June 2025.

About her whereabouts failure, Vinesh said, “I apologised to the WADA. After missing one (on December 18), I was tested twice and cleared to participate in international events. I want a fair chance.

“It’s pre-planned. Brij Bhushan is behind all this.”

In a statement, Vinesh said the WFI ‘misinterpreted’ the timeline of her sabbatical and subsequent return to competition and she had the official confirmation from International Testing Agency (ITA) about her eligibility to compete from January 1, 2026. She released a document to back her claim.

Vinesh said her whereabouts failures did not amount to any anti-doping rule violations.

Sanjay said the WFI “didn’t work in a pre-planned way. We will consider Vinesh’s case after receiving her reply to the show-cause”.

Wrestler Vinesh Phogat has been notified by the International Testing Agency (ITA) for a missed out-of-competition doping test dating back to December 18, 2025, marking her first whereabouts failure in the last 12 months.

In a communication dated May 4, 2026, the ITA informed Vinesh that the missed test has been formally recorded following a review of her explanation submitted on January 19, 2026.

The notice refers to an earlier correspondence sent on January 5, 2026, which had flagged the apparent missed test and sought her response.

The notice is not an anti-doping violation but serves as a warning under the whereabouts clause, which is designed to ensure athletes remain available for surprise testing at all times.

Under rules framed by United World Wrestling (UWW) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), any combination of three missed tests and/or filing failures within a year constitutes an anti-doping rule violation and can attract a suspension of up to two years.

The ITA said the unsuccessful attempt occurred on December 18, 2025, when a Doping Control Officer (DCO) could not locate Vinesh during her designated 60-minute testing window.

Under anti-doping rules, athletes in the Registered Testing Pool (RTP) must specify a daily one-hour slot between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. during which they are available for no-notice testing.

Explaining the circumstances, the ITA acknowledged that Vinesh was attending the first winter session of the Haryana Assembly on that day.

She had travelled from Bengaluru to Chandigarh, disrupting her routine. The agency also noted that she had recently welcomed a child, adding to her personal responsibilities. During the testing attempt, Vinesh reportedly cooperated and informed the DCO that she was in Chandigarh for meetings.

However, the ITA ruled that she failed to update her whereabouts information in time despite the change in schedule.

It pointed out that athletes are required to update their filings “as soon as possible” after any change, and in any case before the specified 60-minute slot.

The agency added that Vinesh did not use alternative methods such as SMS, email or mobile application to revise her location on or before December 18.

“In light of the above, the ITA finds that you were unable to establish that no negligent behaviour on your part caused or contributed to your failure,” the notice stated, concluding that the missed test would be recorded.

The ITA clarified that this was Vinesh’s first recorded whereabouts failure in a 12-month period.

Vinesh has been given seven days from the date of the letter — May 4 — to request an administrative review if she believes the missed test was not due to negligence. Failing that, the decision will become final.

The development comes months after Vinesh announced her comeback to competitive wrestling in December 2025 following her retirement after 2024 Paris Olympics, where she was disqualified from the women’s 50kg final for being overweight.

She subsequently re-registered in the RTP, a pool reserved for elite athletes who are subject to stringent out-of-competition testing requirements.

The National Open Ranking tournament, scheduled to be held in Gonda, is Vinesh’s tournament on comeback. She had accused WFI to block her entry and later feared that officiating might be biased against her.

WFI President Sanjay Singh assured the Olympian of safety and a fair chance to compete.

International Testing Agency (ITA) is the body that manages anti-doping programme in Olympic Games and other major global events.

The Lausanne-based ITA also manages the anti-doping programme of around 50 international sports federations.