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Synopsis

Wrestler Vinesh Phogat, along with Bajrang Punia and others, recently approached the Delhi High Court through a writ petition, seeking to have the elections for the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) in December 2023 declared illegal. 

The bench Justice Sachin Datta heard a writ petition filed by Vinesh, along with wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, requesting new elections for the wrestling federation and listed the next hearing for September 12.

Senior Advocate Rahul Mehra, representing the petitioners, emphasized the urgency by stating that ‘India has lost a gold medal now’. During the hearing, Senior Advocate Menhra reiterated the urgency, noting that the WFI was being run by proxies and that its president was at the Olympic Village making decisions regarding Vinesh Phogat. 

Standing Counsel Anil Soni, representing the Union, expressed support for Phogat, stating that the entire nation stood with her.

Senior Advocate Mehra requested an expedited hearing, citing the national significance of the matter and widespread public concern.  In Paris, four lawyers filed a protest appeal on behalf of Vinesh at the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) pro bono. Reports indicated that the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) had requested additional time to appoint a lawyer for the appeal before CAS, which would determine if the Indian wrestler should receive a joint-Silver medal. Former Solicitor General of India, Harish Salve, agreed to represent Vinesh at CAS, scheduled for August 9.

According to the rules, wrestlers are required to undergo two weigh-ins—one before the competition starts and another before the medal matches. Vinesh had contested both the 50 kg and 53 kg weight categories during national trials conducted before the Olympic qualifiers by an ad-hoc committee. She had requested a written confirmation from the committee regarding the timing of the trials, fearing that the WFI might not hold them. Although the ad-hoc committee permitted her to compete in both categories, no written confirmation was provided. The committee was dissolved by the IOA on March 18.

Subsequently, on March 21, the WFI announced that athletes who secured Olympic berths in the international qualifiers would remain unchanged. Sanjay Singh noted that five wrestlers (excluding Vinesh) had requested exemptions from the trials. Consequently, Vinesh competed in Paris under the 50 kg weight category due to the absence of trials.

Previously, Justice Purushaindra Kaurav had instructed the respondents to complete their pleadings within a week and granted the wrestlers time to respond. 

Following the WFI elections last year, the Union sports ministry suspended the newly-elected executive committee, led by Sanjay Singh, and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) appointed an ad-hoc committee to oversee WFI's operations. Although the United World Wrestling (UWW) lifted WFI's suspension in February, the Union sports ministry maintained its suspension of WFI's recognition, asserting that it would neither recognize nor support any WFI activities.