Vinesh Phogat Faces Challenges Ahead of 2026 Senior Open Ranking Tournament

Vinesh Phogat's Struggles at Gonda Tournament

On Monday evening, Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat took to X to express her frustrations regarding her inability to complete the verification process and access the training facilities at Gonda, where she was set to compete in the 2026 Senior Open Ranking Tournament.

This announcement follows the Wrestling Federation of India's (WFI) show-cause notice issued on May 9, which accused the three-time Olympian of indiscipline and potential anti-doping violations, rendering her ineligible for the National Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda.

In her initial response on X, Phogat indicated that she would provide a comprehensive reply to the notice after consulting with her legal advisors, while maintaining her eligibility to compete and her intention to participate in the tournament.

However, in a later post, she revealed that she had received written consent from the International Testing Agency (ITA) to compete starting January 1, 2026, and had registered for the 2026 Senior Open Ranking Tournament at Nandini Nagar, Gonda. Upon her arrival, she claimed she was barred from completing her verification and using the training hall. Phogat emphasized that she is not asking for special treatment, but merely a fair opportunity to compete.

In her previous post acknowledging the WFI's notice, Phogat stated she would address each claim made against her after consulting her legal team.

She clarified that the WFI had misrepresented the timeline of her sabbatical from sports and her return to training and competition. Contrary to the WFI's assertion that she was eligible to return on June 26, 2026, she stated she was cleared to resume official training and competition on January 1, 2026.

Phogat confirmed that she has official documentation from the ITA, the organization responsible for doping control in wrestling, affirming her eligibility to compete in the 2026 Senior Open Ranking Tournament scheduled for May 10-12, 2026.

She has completed her registration for the event and expressed her determination to return to competitive wrestling.

The WFI's notice outlined four significant allegations against her, including her failure to meet weight requirements at the Paris Olympics, alleged anti-doping rule breaches, violations of return-to-competition protocols after retirement, and issues during selection trials in March 2024.

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

The federation cautioned that failure to respond within the designated timeframe would lead to the matter proceeding without her input, allowing the WFI to make decisions as deemed appropriate.

Phogat, who announced her retirement following her weight failure for the gold medal bout at the Paris 2024 Olympics, reversed her decision in December, aiming for a spot in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

She had previously reached the final of the women's 50 kg event at Paris 2024, achieving this through a series of remarkable victories, including wins against Tokyo 2020 champion Yui Susaki from Japan and 2019 European Championships gold medalist Oksana Livach from Ukraine.

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