Vinesh Phogat Addresses WFI Notice, Aims for Gonda Tournament Participation

Olympian Vinesh Phogat has confirmed her eligibility for the Senior Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda, despite facing a show-cause notice from the Wrestling Federation of India. She plans to respond to the allegations and aims to return to competitive wrestling. Phogat, who previously announced her retirement after failing to make weight at the Paris 2024 Olympics, has since reversed her decision and is focused on representing India in future international events. Her determination to clear her name and compete again highlights her commitment to the sport and her country.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 12, 2026, 02:21 IST

Vinesh Phogat's Response to WFI Notice

Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh) - Olympian Vinesh Phogat has confirmed her eligibility to compete in the Senior Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda. On Monday, she expressed her intention to provide a comprehensive response to the show-cause notice issued by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), emphasizing her commitment to winning medals for India.

As a Congress MLA from Haryana, Phogat mentioned her presence in Ayodhya, a place she believes fulfills everyone’s wishes.

When questioned about her exclusion from the National Open Ranking Tournament by the WFI, she stated, “We will see how the competition unfolds when we arrive.”

Phogat reiterated her determination to respond to the notice, stating, “We are making efforts from our side. We are on the land of the lord where wishes come true, and we also aspire to win medals for our country.”

Previously, she indicated her plan to submit a detailed reply to the WFI's notice, asserting her eligibility to participate in the upcoming tournament.

In a post on X, Phogat revealed that she received the WFI's show-cause notice dated May 9.

She plans to address each point raised in the notice after consulting with her legal team and advisors.

“I want to clarify some issues regarding the notice. The WFI has misunderstood the timeline of my break from sports and my return to training. Contrary to the WFI's claim of June 26, 2026, I am eligible to resume official training and competition starting January 1, 2026,” she explained.

Phogat confirmed that she has received official verification from the International Testing Agency (ITA), which is responsible for doping control in wrestling, affirming her eligibility for the 2026 Senior Open Ranking Tournament scheduled for May 10-12, 2026, in Nandini Nagar, Gonda.

She has already registered for the event and is eager to return to competitive wrestling.

Phogat also dismissed allegations regarding her participation in two different weight categories during the 2024 selection trials at NIS Patiala.

“Regarding the whereabouts failure from September 2024 and the missed test from December 2025, I have cooperated with the relevant authorities, and neither incident constitutes an anti-doping rule violation under the National Anti-Doping Rules, 2021, or the WADA Code, 2021,” she stated.

She further refuted claims of rule violations during the 2024 Selection Trials, asserting that the Ad-Hoc Committee overseeing the WFI was aware of her participation and raised no objections.

Phogat intends to submit her detailed response to the WFI within the 14-day timeframe.

“I will prove my innocence and continue my preparations for competition, looking forward to representing India in the 2026 Asian Games and other international events,” she added.

On May 9, the WFI issued a show-cause notice to the three-time Olympian, accusing her of indiscipline and anti-doping violations, declaring her ineligible for the upcoming National Open Ranking Tournament.

The WFI outlined four major charges against her, including failure to make weight at the Paris Olympics, alleged anti-doping violations, breaches of return-to-competition protocols, and issues during the March 2024 selection trials.

The WFI described her disqualification from the women's 50kg gold medal match at the Paris 2024 Olympics as a “national embarrassment,” emphasizing her obligation to comply with weight regulations throughout the competition.

They also warned that failure to respond within the specified period would lead to the matter proceeding without her input, allowing the federation to make decisions as deemed appropriate.

Phogat, 31, had announced her retirement the day after failing to make weight for the gold-medal match at the Paris 2024 Olympics but reversed her decision in December, aiming for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

She reached the final of the women's 50kg event at Paris 2024, achieving this through a series of impressive victories, including defeating Tokyo 2020 champion Yui Susaki of Japan and 2019 European Championships gold medallist Oksana Livach of Ukraine.

Phogat has previously secured gold medals at both the 2018 Asian Games and Commonwealth Games in the 53kg category.