New Delhi:
A Division Bench led by Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia observed that Phogat had suffered a mishap during the Olympics and questioned why the federation was blaming the athlete instead of examining the role of sports administrators.
The Court said reaching the Olympic final could not be described as a “national shame”.
It noted that people across the country had supported and respected Phogat after the incident.
The Bench also expressed concern over what it described as a departure from past practices and said the federation should not act out of vengeance.
Senior Advocate Rajshekhar Rao, appearing for Phogat, informed the Court that she became eligible to participate in wrestling events in January 2026 and that her registration had already been accepted.
He argued that she was suddenly barred from participation just before the event.
The Court also questioned the Central government over its response to the notice issued by the WFI.
It asked whether the Sports Department was aware of such action against an athlete who had brought recognition to the country.
Later, the Centre informed the Court that Phogat had not been barred from participating in the Asian Games trials. The government said that if she clears the trials, it is willing to invoke the exemption clause to allow her participation in the Asian Games.
