Supreme Court allows Vinesh Phogat to take part in Asian Games selections

The Supreme Court on Friday allowed wrestler Vinesh Phogat to participate in the selection trials for the 2026 Asian Games scheduled for Saturday, Live Law reported.

A bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe refused to stay a Delhi High Court order dated May 22 that had granted her interim relief. The bench was hearing a petition by the Wrestling Federation of India challenging the High Court’s decision.

Phogat had challenged the federation’s revised selection criteria, which prevented her from participating in the trials because she missed designated tournaments while on maternity leave following the birth of her child in July 2025. She also challenged a show-cause notice issued by the Wrestling Federation of India.

In its May 22 order, the High Court held that the federation’s policy was exclusionary as it did not allow the federation to consider athletes like Phogat returning after maternity leave.

The High Court had said at the time that a woman should not be at a disadvantage for taking maternity leave.

On Friday, the Supreme Court declined to stay the May 22 order but expressed reservations about the reasoning adopted by the High Court in granting relief to the wrestler, Live Law reported.

Narasimha noted that Phogat had taken a sabbatical in December 2024 and informed the federation that she would return...

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