New Delhi: With barely a week left for his much-anticipated return to competitive wrestling, Vinesh Phogat He has been formally warned by the International Testing Agency (ITA) that he has failed an out-of-competition doping test, marking his first “failure to comply” in 12 months.The development comes as the two-time world championship medalist and three-time Olympian prepares to compete in a senior open ranking tournament in Gonda from May 10-12 – her first competitive appearance since the Paris Olympics, and nearly 20 months after coming out of retirement. The event, held in the political stronghold of former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, is expected to act as a key gateway for wrestlers vying to enter the national camp and participate in the upcoming Asian Games trials.
According to a notice issued by the ITA, there was a miss test on December 18, 2025 in Bengaluru, when a Doping Control Officer (DCO) failed to locate Vinesh during his scheduled one-hour testing window. Athletes listed in the Registered Testing Pool (RTP) are required to provide a 60-minute daily slot during which they must be available for testing without notice. Failure to do so may result in a site failure.Vinesh was initially informed about the test miss on 5 January 2026, and subsequently provided an explanation on 19 January. She said she was attending the first winter session of the Haryana Legislative Assembly on the day of the test and had traveled from Bengaluru to Chandigarh, disrupting her routine. She also cited personal responsibilities after the recent birth of her child.However, the ITA found this explanation insufficient. In its official notice, the Anti-Doping Agency stressed that it is the athlete’s sole responsibility to remain available and update whereabouts information, recognizing their obligations as an elected representative. The ITA pointed out that Vinesh had multiple avenues to update his location — such as SMS, email, or a mobile app — but failed to do so.“The obligation is to be both available and accessible without prior notice at the location indicated. So ITA has decided to record this missed test. As per the information we have, this will be the first failure recorded against you in the last 12 months,” read the ITA notice, a copy of which is with TOI.The ITA has given Vinesh seven days to seek 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 failures within a 12-month period is an anti-doping rule violation, which can result in a suspension of up to two years. This is Vinesh’s first such failure since his return from retirement in December 2025.The Lausanne-based ITA manages anti-doping programs for International Federations (IFs) and Major Event Organizers (MEOs). It works closely with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to ensure compliance with the anti-doping body’s ‘code’ and associated standards.The warning shall not amount to a doping violation and shall not affect Gonda’s participation in the tournament. However, the timing of the notice has added a layer of intrigue ahead of Vinesh’s return. She will compete in the 57kg category at the ranking meet and is expected to face stiff competition in her new weight division.Earlier on Sunday, Vinesh had sensationally revealed that she was one of the six female wrestlers who had accused Brij Bhushan of sexual harassment. He has also raised concerns about the fairness and venue of the competition, alleging that it is being held in the Braj Bhushan stronghold and an institution affiliated with him.
