New Delhi

TheDelhi High Court on Friday pulled up the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) for its decision to declare celebrated grappler Vinesh Phogat “ineligible” from participation in domestic events and asked the Centre to constitute an expert panel to evaluate her.

A bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia observed that the WFI’s departure from the earlier practice of permitting the participation of reputed athletes “speaks volumes,” and asked the Centre to ensure that Phogat, who is seeking her return from a maternity break, is allowed to participate in the upcoming Asian Games selection trials.

The bench emphasised that motherhood is celebrated in the country, and the federation should not act with “vengeance.” It asked the Centre to constitute an expert panel to evaluate Phogat after the government counsel submitted that the framework provided by the Sports Authority of India permits relaxation of eligibility criteria in certain cases. “Ask the experts to evaluate her chances.. Ensure that she participates,” the court orally said, as it clarified it would take up the matter at 2:30 pm again to enable the government counsel to come back with further details with respect to the constitution of the team of expert. The court was hearing Phogat’s appeal against a single-judge’s order of May 18 refusing her immediate relief on the issueof her participation in the selection trials on May 30-31 for this year’s Asian Games despite being declared “ineligible” by the WFI. Phogat’s senior counsel urged the bench to grant her the opportunity to participate in the trials, contending that the show-cause notice issued to her on May 9, a day before her participation in a domestic event in Gonda, showed that “somebody is clutching at straws” to oust her.