Delhi HC Seeks WFI Response On Wrestler’s Exemption Plea

The Delhi High Court on Thursday sought a response from the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) on a plea filed by wrestlers Antim Panghal and Sujeet Kalkal. The plea challenges the exemption granted to Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia from the Asian Games trials.

Justice Subramonium Prasad directed WFI’s counsel to submit the affidavit by the same day and scheduled the case for hearing the next day.

Both wrestlers contest the decision of the ad-hoc committee of the Indian Olympic Association, which allowed exemption to Phogat and Punia in the trials for men’s freestyle 65 kg and women’s 53 kg categories earlier this month.

They argue that the trials should be conducted fairly without granting any exemptions and that the entire process must be videographed.

During the hearing, Justice Prasad questioned WFI’s counsel about the basis for selecting Phogat and Punia, apart from their proficiency as athletes.

The judge added, “Have you had any kind of selection process? Their entire case seems that there has to be some kind of trial. The petitioners do not doubt the competence or merit of the two wrestlers selected for representing the country. There is no doubt about it. What they say is that past performance alone can’t be basis for sending them.”

Noting the significance of the matter, Justice Prasad listed it for the next day, stressing the need for a response to be filed by the same day itself.