Asian Games selection trials: SC closes WFI appeal against Phogat participation

THe sublime margaret court on th unsympathetic proceedings in grappling Federation of India (WFI)’s appeal against wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s participation in Asian Games selection trials after she failed to qualify, clarifying it should not be seen as a “reiteration” of the Delhi high court’s adverse observations against the federation on May 22.“In view of the subsequent developments, the present special leave petition has become infructuous,” said a bench of justices PS Narasimha and Aravind Kumar.On May 29, the Supreme Court allowed Phogat to participate in the trials even as it took exception to the high court order declaring the WFI’s refusal to consider past accomplishments of iconic players exclusionary.On Thursday, senior advocate DN Goburdhan, appearing for the WFI, informed the court that Phogat was allowed to participate in the trials as per its order. “She did not succeed, and she created havoc there,” Goburdhan said.The bench told Goburdhan, “Now it is over. You can either withdraw this, or we can dismiss it as infructuous.” Goburdhan told the court that the matter still requires adjudication as the high court concluded that WFI’s move to issue a show cause notice to Phogat was “malafide”, “retrograde” and “deplorable”.He urged the Supreme Court to expunge these observations as Phogat’s petition challenging this notice is pending before a single-judge bench of the high court. “These observations will now bind the single judge,” he said.The bench then clarified, “By this order, this court is not to be taken as having reiterated the observations of the high court.” With these observations, the court dismissed the appeal.On May 29, the Supreme Court said it was interfering with reluctance because of Phogat’s background and what she has gained for the country. It said it will examine the high court order to iron out some creases as it heard the WFI’s appeal against the May 22 high court order.The high court said WFI’s selection criteria for the Asian Games, which restricted eligibility to wrestlers who won medals in 2025 while disregarding earlier performances, left no discretion for the federation to consider accomplished athletes like Phogat, who took a sabbatical due to maternity leave. It said this marked a significant deviation from the past practice.The high court observed that Phogat’s exclusion from the selection trials was directly linked to her sabbatical and the temporary eligibility requirements. It noted that her maternity period and subsequent recovery coincided with the timing of the championships necessary to satisfy the eligibility criteria, thereby affecting her ability to qualify for the trials.The Supreme Court on May 29 said it was concerned with the method and manner in which the high court interfered with the policy. “A constitutional court must know these are national and international sports. This thing about womanhood is irrelevant. This kind of an approach for courts to interfere has created problems for other similar federations, as we have seen in football, which results in disqualification.”