A big news has emerged regarding India’s star wrestler and Olympic medalist Vinesh Phogat. Let us tell you that Vinesh Phogat has received a major blow from the Delhi High Court. The Delhi Court has completely denied her permission to participate in the selection trials for the 2026 Senior World Wrestling Championship. This means that Vinesh Phogat will no longer be able to participate in the 2026 Senior World Wrestling Championship selection trials.
The 2026 Senior World Wrestling Championship selection trials are scheduled to be held on September 14th, and Vinesh will not be a part of them. This decision comes at a time when Vinesh was trying to make a comeback in international wrestling.
What is the whole matter?
Actually, Vinesh Phogat had approached the Delhi High Court and demanded that she be allowed to participate in the selection trials for the 2026 Senior World Championship. However, the Delhi High Court has completely barred her from participating in the trials, which are scheduled to be held at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in Delhi on September 14th. Vinesh will no longer be a part of them.
Vinesh argued that the current selection process of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) is making it difficult for her to return to the international arena. The WFI maintains that the same selection rules apply to all wrestlers, there should be no discrimination, and that wrestlers who do not participate in the designated competitions do not fall within the prescribed eligibility criteria. The Delhi High Court has issued an interim order on this matter, stating that the selection criteria issued on September 7, 2026, apply equally to all athletes. Therefore, allowing one athlete to participate in the trials, even if they deviate from the rules, could lead to unequal treatment for other athletes. Therefore, the High Court has granted Vinesh’s consent and issued its decision.
The court has currently refused to grant any special exemptions to the selection rules for Vinesh Phogat.
The case is still in court, but it has been decided that she will not be able to participate in the upcoming trial. The court also acknowledged that the circumstances surrounding Vinesh’s pregnancy, childbirth, and subsequent recovery need to be considered during the final hearing on the validity of the selection policy. Following this decision, Vinesh Phogat’s hopes of returning to the World Championships have suffered a major setback. She is not participating in the event, as per the court’s order.
You may recall that Vinesh Phogat announced her retirement from wrestling after the Paris Olympics, but later began attempting to return to the wrestling mat. She also participated in the 2026 Asian Games selection trials, though she failed to qualify. Now, she had her sights set on the World Championships, but this interim order from the Delhi High Court has put her on hold for the September 14th trial.
For now, the Delhi High Court has refused to grant interim relief and has issued its verdict.
This decision has certainly dealt a significant blow to Vinesh Phogat, but her legal battle is far from over. The case continues, pending further hearings on the selection policy and other related proceedings she challenged.
So, friends, it will be very interesting to see what the court’s final decision on this matter will be in the near future, and whether the path to Vinesh Phogat’s return to international wrestling will be reopened.
