The Delhi High Court on Friday criticized the Wrestling Federation of India for declaring a leading wrestler ineligible for domestic competitions. The court questioned whether the federation had altered its rules to target the athlete after her maternity leave. A bench led by Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia stated that the federation’s actions were not in the best interest of sports and instructed the central government to form an expert panel to assess the wrestler’s fitness and eligibility for upcoming Asian Games selection trials. The court emphasized that motherhood should not disadvantage an athlete and urged the government to ensure the wrestler’s participation. The wrestler had appealed a May 18 single-judge order that denied immediate relief for the trials scheduled on May 30 and 31. The federation had suspended the athlete from domestic events until June 2026 under anti-doping regulations requiring a six-month notice for those returning from retirement.
