Asian Games Trials: A huge row erupts between Vinesh Phogat’s camp and WFI
Vinesh Phogat’s turbulent journey towards the Asian Games took another chaotic turn on Saturday as the high-stakes quarter-final match erupted into a major row between coaches, federation officials and malfunctioning technology at the Indira Gandhi International Stadium.
They compete in the category up to 53 kg. Phogat reached the semi-finals of the qualificationbut not before her quarter-final against Haryana’s Nishu quickly turned from a thrilling wrestling match into a dramatic battle over the judges’ decisions.
The controversy started when Vinesh was trailing 0-5. She looked ready to end the match when she went for the deciding pin. However, the referee intervened and stopped the action and awarded Vinesh 4 points instead of allowing her to complete the pin.
This decision immediately sparked outrage from Vinesh’s corner. The first heated exchange of the day occurred when Vinesh’s husband Somvir Rathee entered the field directly to protest against the officiating. He initiated the stoppage of play by throwing a water bottle onto the mat. After intense shouting and appeals, Vinesh officially challenged the decision – and won.
A minute later the fire flared up again. Vinesh did an arm roll, which the referee countered by awarding 2 points instead of the 4 points her camp deserved. Vinesh contested the challenge a second time but lost this time.
The dispute quickly moved from the mat to the jury table. Vinesh and her coaches demanded to see the video footage used to review the call. While the referee originally promised to show them the footage, they never did. WFI chief Sanjay Singh enters the verbal altercation (photo by Kingshuk Kusari)
Adding to the confusion, the official review TV screen stopped working completely during the review. As Vinesh’s camp has been vocal in its frustration due to the technical failure, the disagreement escalated even outside the coaches.
WFI president Sanjay Singh, along with members of his entourage, got into a heated verbal argument with Vinesh’s support staff, bringing the process to a temporary halt.
Heartbreaking ending
Despite the escalating chaos around her, Vinesh managed to maintain her composure. Controlling the closing seconds of the match, she outplayed Nisha and won a razor-thin 7-6 to book her place in the semi-finals.
Nishu is heartbroken after Vinesh wins from the judges as she finished the final seconds of the match under control.
The only ones suffering in this whole mess are the athletes.
Nishu is in tears and refuses to shake hands with the referee.
Vinesh pats her back and leaves pic.twitter.com/gMIvnUYiCk– Kingshuk Kusari (@KusariKingshuk) May 30, 2026
For Nisha, the result was devastating. The young wrestler broke down in tears at the whistle, visibly broken and convinced that the final sequence should have been scored in her favor. In sharp protest, Nishu refused to shake the referee’s hand. Recognizing her opponent’s agony, Vinesh offered Nishu a comforting pat on the back before walking off the mat.
While Vinesh moved a step closer to the Asian Games, the dramatic afternoon served as a stark reminder of the ongoing friction in Indian wrestling, where administrative disarray and officiating disputes continue to overshadow the athletes themselves.
– The end
Published on:
30 May 2026 16:31 IST