In her detailed statement, Vinesh confirmed receipt of the notice on 09.05.2026 and said that she would respond formally after consulting her legal team. However, he also addressed the issue publicly, saying that there had been a misunderstanding regarding the timeline for his return.
“The WFI has misinterpreted the timelines for my layoff from the sport and subsequent return to training and competition,” he said. She further clarified that, contrary to the federation’s claim that she would be eligible only 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 participate in the ongoing 2026 Senior Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda. “I plan to participate in the tournament and mark my return to the mat in a competitive event,” she confirmed.
Addressing the allegations related to anti-doping, he said the accommodation failures and missed tests presented by the WFI did not amount to violations, saying they “do not amount to anti-doping rule violations under the National Anti-Doping Rules, 2021 or the WADA Code, 2021.”
