NEW DELHI — Veteran Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat has once again knocked on the doors of the Delhi High Court, seeking urgent directions to permit her participation in the upcoming selection trials for the 2026 Senior World Wrestling Championships.

Heading into a crucial hearing, a single-judge bench of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma directed the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) to obtain clear instructions on whether the star grappler can be allowed to compete in the trials. The High Court also asked the sports body to state its position on Phogat’s request to defer any final order in ongoing disciplinary proceedings against her.

The immediate trigger for Phogat’s legal move is a circular issued by the WFI on September 7. The circular laid down restrictive eligibility criteria for the women's trials—scheduled for September 14 at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi—to select the squad for the World Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan. Eligibility was limited to medal winners from specific recent domestic tournaments, active coaching camp attendees, and junior-level performers.

In her fresh application filed through lawyers, Phogat contended that the federation’s criteria effectively create an arbitrary, "closed" pathway that penalizes female athletes returning from maternity leave.

"My maternity cannot come in the way of my eligibility to participate. I am not asking for a free pass," Senior Advocate Rajshekhar Rao, representing Phogat, argued before the court. He highlighted that her temporary absence from required qualifying tournaments directly stemmed from her pregnancy, childbirth, and post-partum recovery.

The petition is part of Phogat’s broader, ongoing court battle demanding a transparent, systematic framework to protect female athletes resuming competitive sport after motherhood. In addition, Phogat has challenged two show-cause notices issued by the WFI alleging misconduct and anti-doping protocol breaches, maintaining that the disciplinary actions are a continuous attempt to derail her athletic comeback.

Counsel representing the WFI countered the plea, submitting that Phogat was provided multiple opportunities to appear before its disciplinary panel but had repeatedly skipped hearings citing pending litigation.

With the Senior World Wrestling Championships set to kick off on October 24, all eyes remain on the Delhi High Court’s ruling regarding whether India's decorated grappler gets a fair shot on the mat.