Delhi HC Issues Notice To Centre, WFI On Vinesh Phogat's Plea For Maternity Return Policy For Women Athletes

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued notice to the Centre, the Wrestling Federation of India and the Indian Olympic Association on Olympic wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s petition seeking a structured framework for women athletes returning to sport after pregnancy and maternity leave. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma admitted the notice and posted the matter for further hearing on November 18, giving the three respondents time to reply.

Phogat has asked the court to direct a formal system that supports women athletes after maternity and sets clear rules for their return to competition. The case goes beyond one selection dispute, she has argued, because women athletes in India lack formal protection when pregnancy forces them out of competition and they try to return at the highest level.

Maternity framework plea

Phogat framed it as a wider issue. Appearing for her, senior advocate Rajshekhar Rao told the court that the case raised a far broader question than one athlete's individual grievance. He argued that the matter concerns how maternity leave affects women athletes’ careers and their ability to keep competing at the highest level.

Rao told the court that international sporting standards already provide benchmarks for such cases. He argued that many global frameworks include ranking protections and other safeguards for athletes who step away from competition to have children, but that such protections are missing in the Indian system.

Phogat, who gave birth in July 2025, has sought a fair and structured framework for women athletes returning from maternity. She has also asked for a selection and nomination process that is transparent and objectively verified, along with an alternative mechanism for athletes disadvantaged by maternity-related absences.

Selection dispute

Her grievance is specific. Phogat has told the court that when she resumed her wrestling career, she was forced to re-enter the competitive pathway without any accommodation for the period she could not compete because of maternity leave.

Her petition says the eligibility criteria used to assess her selection relied on tournament performances during the same window when she was on maternity leave. She has argued that this standard effectively penalised her for an absence outside her control. She has also argued that no alternative route back into competitive selection was offered.

Separate disciplinary challenge

A second dispute is also before court. Alongside the maternity framework plea, Phogat has challenged two show-cause notices issued by the WFI and the disciplinary proceedings that followed. The court directed the WFI’s counsel to take instructions on that separate challenge.

That matter is now listed for hearing on September 29. The WFI’s counsel told the court that the federation had already given Phogat two opportunities to be heard, but she did not appear on either occasion. The counsel added that a final hearing opportunity has now been fixed for September 2.