WFI Plea Against HC Order On Vinesh's Selection Is infructuous: SC
The top court disposed of the plea as infructuous in view of subsequent developments.
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday said the plea filed by the Wrestling Federation of India against a Delhi High Court order allowing wrestler Vinesh Phogat to participate in selection trials had become infructuous.
A bench of Justices P.S. Narasimha and Aravind Kumar declined to examine the High Court’s observations and clarified that its order should not be construed as reiterating those findings.
The court dismissed the WFI’s plea, leaving all issues open, and did not order removal of the observations termed “objectionable” by the federation.
Senior advocate D.N. Goburdhun, appearing for the WFI, submitted that Ms Phogat had been allowed to participate in the trials but did not succeed.
"She did not succeed but she created havoc over there," he said. The court responded that the matter had become infructuous.
The counsel argued that certain remarks by the High Court describing the federation’s actions as “mala fide” and “deplorable” should be set aside. The apex court, however, disposed of the plea without addressing those observations.
On May 29, the Supreme Court had permitted Phogat to take part in the selection trials held on May 30 and 31 for the Asian Games 2026.
The WFI had challenged the May 22 order of the Delhi High Court, which allowed her participation, observing that its selection policy lacked discretion to accommodate an “iconic player” returning from maternity.
The High Court had said motherhood could not be treated as a professional impediment and had also criticised the federation’s remarks on Phogat’s disqualification at the 2024 Paris Olympics, terming them “deplorable”.
