Setting up a fresh showdown with the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), star wrestler Vinesh Phogat insisted on Monday that she will compete at the National Open Ranking tournament and not 'take sanyaas,' defying the ban imposed by the governing body. She told reporters that she has replied to the WFI's show-cause notice and is eligible to return from retirement. The WFI, however, says she cannot compete until disciplinary proceedings against her are complete.
Vinesh's Defiance and WFI's Stance
The WFI had declared Vinesh ineligible to participate in domestic events until June 26, 2026, citing the mandatory six-month notice period linked to athletes returning from retirement under anti-doping rules. 'What do you expect me to do? Shall I take sanyaas and stay away? Accept defeat? So that their conspiracy against me succeeds?' Phogat told reporters after meeting WFI officials.
Immediately after landing at the nearby Ayodhya airport, Vinesh replied to the WFI's show-cause notice, claiming that Rule 5.6.1 of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code concerning retired athletes does not apply to her as she had already informed United World Wrestling (UWW) in June about her decision to resume competition after retirement. As per UWW rules, any athlete seeking to return to competition from retirement must notify UWW at least six months in advance while remaining available for testing during that period. Vinesh argued that her formal intimation to UWW about her comeback fulfilled the procedural requirements needed to return to competition.
She said she had informed the WFI on December 12 that she intended to return to the sport. 'Why did you have to wait for six months to give me a show-cause notice just two days before the competition?' she asked. Still, she gave a short reply initially and will give a full reply within the stipulated 14 days.
Background of the Controversy
Vinesh had announced her retirement from the sport after her disqualification from the women's 50kg gold medal bout at the 2024 Paris Olympics. While her husband Sombir Rathi said that Vinesh never announced her retirement officially and merely posted it on social media, the WFI maintained that a communication from UWW in December 2024 acknowledged that she had intimated the International Testing Agency (ITA) about her retirement.
The federation has sought her explanation on several charges, including her disqualification from the 2024 Paris Games after failing to make weight, alleged whereabouts failures under anti-doping rules, and competing in two weight categories during the March 2024 selection trials conducted by the then IOA-appointed ad-hoc panel.
WFI Not Satisfied with Vinesh's Response
WFI sources said the federation was not satisfied with her reply and felt that the wrestler had addressed only the eligibility aspect while failing to respond comprehensively to the broader disciplinary charges levelled against her in the detailed notice issued on Saturday. 'The reply is not enough. She has not answered the full show-cause notice. Until a disciplinary hearing is conducted and the matter is decided, she cannot be permitted to compete,' a WFI source told PTI.
'We will not stop her from coming here but until we have a full explanation, and not just on one issue, she has to wait,' added the source. The controversy erupted after the WFI issued a strongly worded show-cause notice to the celebrated wrestler, accusing her of indiscipline, breach of federation rules and anti-doping-related procedural violations. Before that, Vinesh had claimed that the WFI was trying to block her entry. The WFI also maintained that a 'wrong narrative' was being spread that the selection criteria for the National Open Ranking Tournament had been altered specifically to prevent Vinesh from competing.
Upcoming Events and Implications
The weigh-in for women wrestlers at the Ranking event is scheduled between 5 pm and 7 pm on Monday, while the competition is scheduled for Tuesday. The medal winners at the event are likely to get a chance to compete at the World Championship trials later this year, but they won't be allowed to compete in Asian Games trials as per WFI policy.
