Kamal Ghorui
Vinesh Phogat has responded strongly to the Wrestling Federation of India’s (WFI) show-cause notice, insisting that she is fully eligible to return to competitive wrestling and rejecting several of the federation’s claims regarding timelines and rule violations.
Vinesh Phogat statement
In her detailed statement, Vinesh confirmed receipt of the notice dated 09.05.2026 and said she will respond formally after consulting her legal team. However, she also addressed the matter publicly, saying there has been a misunderstanding regarding her comeback timeline. She stated that, “The WFI has misinterpreted the timelines of my sabbatical from sport and subsequent return to training and competitions.” She further clarified that, contrary to the federation’s claim that she would only be eligible from June 26, 2026, “I have been deemed eligible to return to official training and competition on January 1, 2026.” Vinesh added that she has “official confirmation from the International Testing Agency (ITA)” and is therefore eligible to compete in the ongoing 2026 Senior Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda. She confirmed, “I do intend to participate in the Tournament and mark my return to the mat in a competitive event.” Addressing anti-doping related allegations, she said that the whereabouts failure and missed test cited by WFI do not amount to violations, stating they “do not amount to anti-doping rule violations per the National Anti-Doping Rules, 2021 or the WADA Code, 2021.” She also rejected claims regarding participation in multiple weight categories at the 2024 selection trials, saying, “The Ad-Hoc Committee governing the WFI at that point of time was well aware of my participation and made no objection.” Vinesh added she will submit a detailed response within 14 days and said, “I will establish my innocence and will continue my preparations as I approach my return to competition.” The WFI, however, has maintained that she remains ineligible until June 26, 2026 due to retirement-to-return regulations under anti-doping rules. It also flagged issues including her Paris 2024 disqualification after missing weight and alleged procedural breaches. Vinesh, meanwhile, remains firm on her position that she has complied with all international requirements, including notifying United World Wrestling (UWW) of her return in advance as required under rules governing retired athletes.
