Supreme Court allows Olympian wrestler Vinesh Phogat to participate in Asian Games 2026 selection trials, next hearing on June 1

The Supreme Court on May 29 permitted wrestler Vinesh Phogat to participate in the Asian Games 2026 selection trials which are scheduled take place on May 30 and 31.

A bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Alok Aradhe passed the order after Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) filed a plea challenging the Delhi High Court's order.

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"Today at this stage, the high court having passed the order, the hope and expectations have risen. To tell her to go back home and we can't do anything, will not be proper. We are very bold in telling you this," the bench told the counsel appearing for the WFI.

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However, the apex court has questioned the handling of the matter by High Court.

“These are not medical college admissions, these are national and international sports. It can’t be like Courts will interfere in this manner and disrupt the entire schedule”, Justice PS Narasimha said during the hearing.

Olympian Vinesh was also given a message on the eve of her trials.

“You have been an excellent athlete. But country first”, the Supreme Court said.

After granting relief to Vinesh, the Supreme Court has also sought response of athletes on WFI's plea, challenging her participation.

The next hearing for the matter is scheduled to take place on June 1.

Earlier, on May 22, Delhi High Court's division bench had allowed Vinesh to participate in the Asian Games 2026 trial. It had also ordered the video recording of selection trials by the WFI which will be observed by an official from Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).

The High Court had also lashed out at WFI for use of terms like 'national embarrassment' in their show-case notice, referring to Vinesh being overweight by 100 grams at the morning weigh-in of her Paris Olympics 2024 gold medal bout. The statement was termed as 'deplorable', something that should've been avoided.

Vinesh had announced her retirement from wrestling and then taken a U-turn after becoming a mother. She also missed a regular dope test and was later barred by WFI from appearing for Asian Games 2026 trials, saying she missed the 'qualification window'. She raised her voice against the discrimination as WFI had declared that there is a mandatory six-month notice period under anti-doping rules for athletes coming out of retirement.