Rarely active sportspersons take extreme steps to challenge policies of National Sports Federations. But multiple international medal winner and MLA from Haryana Vinesh Phogat is different!
Rarely active sportspersons take extreme steps to challenge policies of National Sports Federations. But three-time Olympian and World medallist Vinesh Phogat is different!
On Monday the star freestyle female wrestler claimed the Wrestling Federation of India denied her an opportunity to compete in the national open ranking competition in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh. Her goal was to make a comeback and stay in the race for the Japan Asian Games but she wasn’t allowed to register for the ranking competition.
Later, on her social media account, Vinesh Phogat who is MLA of Julana constituency from Haryana posted a detail account of the difference of opinion between her and Wrestling Federation of India officials.
“I acknowledge receipt of the show cause notice dated 09.05.2026 issued by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) to me,” Vinesh Phogat said on her social media post. “I will be providing detailed responses to each claim made in the notice, after consultation with my legal team and my advisors.”
She added: “However, I would like to clear up a few matters pertaining to the notice to the public. The WFI has misinterpreted the timelines of my sabbatical from sport and subsequent return to training and competitions. As opposed to the date stated by the WFI in their notice, i.e., June 26, 2026, I have been deemed eligible to return to official training and competition on January 1, 2026. I have official confirmation from the International Testing Agency (ITA) the agency hired by the international federation UWW, the relevant international federation governing doping control for wrestling, pertaining to the same.”
“Therefore, I am eligible to participate in the 2026 Senior Open Ranking Tournament at Nandini Nagar, Gonda scheduled for May 10-12, 2026. Having completed my registration for the same, I do intend to participate in the Tournament and mark my return to the mat in a competitive event,” Vinesh Phogat said in a statement. “With respect to the whereabouts failure from September 2024, and the Missed Test from December 2025, I confirm that I have co-operated with the relevant result management authorities promptly, and that both events do not amount to anti-doping rule violations per the National Anti-Doping Rules, 2021 or the WADA Code, 2021.”
She continue to add: “The allegation that I violated various rules by participating in two separate weight categories at the 2024 Selection Trials at NIS Patiala is also false, as the Ad-Hoc Committee governing the WFI at that point of time was well aware of my participation and made no objection at such stage while allowing me to participate.”
Vinesh Phogat’s social media post stated: “Beyond the same, I am reviewing the contents of the Notice and will provide a detailed response with supporting evidence to the WFI within the prescribed time limit of fourteen days. I will establish my innocence and will continue my preparations as I approach my return to competition, and I look forward to the chance at representing India in the 2026 Asian Games and upcoming international events.”
EOM
