The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a petition by the Wrestling Federation of India challenging a lower court order that allowed wrestler Vinesh Phogat to compete in selection trials, ruling the matter moot because the event has already concluded and the athlete failed to qualify.
A bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Aravind Kumar declined to review the merits of the case, declaring the issue infructuous. However, the bench clarified that its decision should not be interpreted as an endorsement of the lower court’s findings, noting that all legal questions surrounding the dispute remain open.
The litigation stemmed from a Delhi High Court order on May 22 that cleared Phogat to participate in the selection trials for the 2026 Asian Games. The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) appealed the ruling, but the Supreme Court on May 29 permitted Phogat to compete in the selection event, which was held on May 30 and 31.
Representing the WFI, senior advocate DN Goburdhun told the bench on Thursday that Phogat had participated in the selection trials but was unsuccessful. He also alleged that the wrestler’s presence had caused significant disruption at the venue.
Goburdhun raised concerns regarding observations made by the Delhi High Court in its May 22 order, which had described the federation’s decisions as malicious and deplorable. He argued that these remarks should be set aside, pointing out that the substantive matter is still pending before a single-judge bench of the High Court.
In response, the Supreme Court bench reiterated that all legal questions are left open and formally disposed of the federation’s petition.
