Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Barely a week to go for her highly-anticipated return to competitive wrestling, Vinesh Phogat has been formally warned by the International Testing Agency (ITA) for missing an out-of-competition doping test, marking her first “whereabouts failure” within a 12-month period.The development comes at a time when the two-time World Championships medallist and three-time Olympian is preparing to compete in a senior open ranking tournament in Gonda from May 10 to 12 — her first competitive appearance since the Paris Olympics, and nearly 20 months after coming out of retirement. The event, to be held in former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s political stronghold, is expected to serve as a key pathway for wrestlers aiming to enter the national camp and stake a claim to participate in the upcoming Asian Games trials.
According to a notice issued by the ITA, the missed test occurred on Dec 18, 2025, in Bengaluru, when a Doping Control Officer (DCO) was unable to locate Vinesh during her designated one-hour testing window. Athletes listed in the Registered Testing Pool (RTP) are required to provide a daily 60-minute slot during which they must be available for no-notice testing. Failure to do so can result in a whereabouts failure.Vinesh was initially notified of the missed test on Jan 5, 2026, and she subsequently provided an explanation on Jan 19. She stated that she was attending the first winter session of the Haryana legislative assembly on the day of the test and had travelled from Bengaluru to Chandigarh, disrupting her routine. She also cited personal responsibilities following the recent birth of her child.However, the ITA deemed her explanation insufficient. In its official notice, the anti-doping agency emphasised that while it acknowledged her commitments as an elected representative, the responsibility to remain available and update whereabouts information rests solely with the athlete. The ITA pointed out that Vinesh had multiple avenues — such as SMS, email, or a mobile app — to update her location but failed to do so.“The obligation is to be both available and accessible without prior notice at the location indicated. The ITA finds that you were unable to establish that no negligent behaviour on your part caused or contributed to your failure to update your whereabouts filings and be available and accessible for testing. Therefore, the ITA has decided to record this missed test. According to the information in our possession, this will be the first whereabouts failure to be recorded against you in the last 12 months,” read the ITA’s notice, a copy of which is with TOI.The ITA has granted Vinesh seven days to request an administrative review of the decision. The notice was issued on May 4.Under rules set by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and United World Wrestling (UWW), three whereabouts failures within a 12-month period constitute an anti-doping rule violation, leading to a suspension of up to two years. This is Vinesh’s first such failure since her return from retirement in Dec 2025.The Lausanne-based ITA manages anti-doping programmes for International Federations (IFs) and Major Event Organisers (MEOs). It works closely with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) ensuring compliance with the anti-doping body’s ‘Code’ and its connected standards.The warning wouldn’t amount to a doping violation and won’t affect her participation in the Gonda tournament. However, the timing of the notice has added a layer of intrigue ahead of Vinesh’s comeback. She will compete in the 57kg category at the ranking meet and is expected to face tough competition in her new weight division.Earlier on Sunday, Vinesh had sensationally revealed that she was one of the six female wrestlers who accused Brij Bhushan of sexual harassment. She has also raised concerns about the competition’s fairness and venue, alleging that it is being held in Brij Bhushan’s bastion and at an institution linked to him.
