Delhi High Court Orders Wrestling Federation of India to Rule on Vinesh Phogat Notices Within Two Weeks
Wrestler Vinesh Phogat received a temporary legal shield on October 29, 2026, when the Delhi High Court directed the Wrestling Federation of India to issue a decision on two pending disciplinary notices within a fortnight, theprint.in reported. Justice Amit Mahajan ordered that any ruling by the federation on the May 9 and June 17 notices will remain in abeyance until the next court hearing on January 20, 2027.
Judicial Scrutiny of Federation Notices Before December Tournament
Phogat’s legal representation argued before the court that the unresolved notices act as a hanging sword over her athletic career, threatening her participation in a national tournament scheduled for mid-December. Justice Mahajan acknowledged the concern as genuine, emphasizing that competitive athletes require a fit and relaxed state of mind to prevent performance compromise.
Delhi HC Directs WFI to Decide on Vinesh Phogat’s Show-Cause Notices Within Two Weekshttps://t.co/5hFIvrowa7#VineshPhogat #DelhiHighCourt #WFI #IndianWrestling #WrestlingNews #SportsLaw #WomenInSports #WrestlingFederationOfIndia
Disciplinary Proceedings and Anti-Doping Allegations Timeline
The legal challenge stems from administrative actions initiated by the Wrestling Federation of India earlier in the year. The first notice, issued on May 9, accused Phogat of indiscipline and anti-doping violations, claiming she failed to complete the mandatory six-month notice period required for athletes returning from retirement under United World Wrestling rules, according to hindustantimes.com. A second notice followed on June 17 regarding alleged misconduct during selection trials for the Asian Games. Phogat’s petition contends these measures represent an arbitrary pattern of actions designed to obstruct her return to elite competition following maternity leave, despite clearance from the International Testing Agency to compete starting January 1, 2026, theprint.in reported.
January 2027 Hearing and Pending Administrative Decisions
The Wrestling Federation of India and the central government must now formally resolve the show-cause notices before the two-week deadline expires. Even if the federation issues a ruling after that window closes, the court’s order mandates that the enforcement of any penalties stays frozen until Justice Mahajan resumes proceedings on January 20, 2027. Legal teams representing Phogat include senior advocates Aashita Khanna, Ritwik Prakash, and Neil M Goswami, alongside Rajshekhar Rao, who noted that past tensions between prominent wrestlers and former federation leadership under Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh add complex context to ongoing administrative disputes within the sport.
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