The Supreme Court on Friday allowed grappler Vinesh Phogat to participate in the selection trials for the Asian Games 2026 to be held on May 30 and May 31.A bench of Justice PS Narasimha and Justice Alok Aradhe passed the order while hearing a plea filed by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) challenging the Delhi High Court order allowing Phogat to participate in the trials.“We are not stopping you. Go and participate,” it said, refusing to stay the high court’s order. “Today at this stage, the high court having passed the order, the hope and expectations have risen. To tell her to go back home and we can’t do anything, will not be proper. We are very bold in telling you this,” Justice Narahimha told the WFI counsel.The top court, however, expressed reservations about the Delhi High Court’s approach in allowing Phogat to participate in trials, saying “We have some questions,” even as it acknowledged her talent and the achievements at the global level.“You are an excellent wrestler… you have made the country proud but it’s the country first. The high court can’t disrupt the entire schedule,” Justice Narasimha said, posting the matter for further hearing next week. The order came on a petition filed by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) challenging the May 22 order of the high court order.Phogat had taken a sabbatical in December 2024, saying that she would join in August 2025 and in July 2025, she became a mother and informed the WFI that she would be eligible from January 1, 2026, the top court noted.However, she missed the doping test in January and the International Testing Agency (ITA) had not accepted her explanation that she had to attend Assembly as an MLA in Haryana, the Bench pointed out.“What is concerning is that when the ITA test is missed, it has a logical consequence because Indian sports is integrally connected to world sports. If some kind of disqualification appears at the global level, it reflects on India. You did not give the whereabouts for the doping test and missed the first doping test.”A Division Bench of the high court had on May 22 allowed Phogat to take part in the upcoming trials for the Asian Games, saying the WFI’s selection policy was exclusionary for the lack of discretion to consider a player like her, who was returning from a maternity break.Describing Phogat as an “iconic athlete”, the high court had said that she should be given a fair opportunity to compete and directed that she be allowed to take part in the trials scheduled for May 30-31.The high court had directed that the trials be video-recorded by the WFI to ensure transparency in the selection process and that it should be conducted in the presence of independent observers from both the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).However, the WFI contended that selection procedures must strictly follow established criteria to maintain fairness and consistency in team selection and a list of probable players has already been sent to the international wrestling body.