Vinesh Phogat has responded strongly to the Wrestling Federation of India’s (WFI) show cause notice, insisting that she is fully fit to return to competitive wrestling and rejecting several of the federation’s claims regarding timelines and rules violations.
Statement by Vinesh Phogat
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.” He also dismissed claims of participating in multiple weight categories in the 2024 selection trials, saying, “The ad hoc committee running the WFI at that time was well aware of my participation and did not object.” Vinesh added that she would submit a detailed reply within 14 days and said, “I will prove my innocence and continue my preparations as we get closer to returning to the pageant.” The WFI has, however, maintained that she will remain ineligible until June 26, 2026, due to the anti-doping rules for coming out of retirement. It also flagged problems including weight loss and disqualification from Paris 2024 after alleged procedural violations. Meanwhile, Vinesh stands by its stance that it has complied with all international requirements, including notifying United World Wrestling (UWW) Early withdrawal is required by the rules governing retired athletes.
