Vinesh Phogat (PTI Photo) NEW DELHI: The controversy surrounding Vinesh Phogat and her participation in the upcoming wrestling tournament has taken a new turn with the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) denying her claims.In an interview with The Indian Express, Vinesh claimed that she was unable to register for the Senior Open Ranking Tournament and said that the portal showed that the registrations were closed and the officials were not responding. However, WFI president Sanjay Singh rejected it saying that her entry was already done and there was no problem from their side.
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Virat Kohli opens his childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma’s new academyThe WFI boss categorically denied the allegations and even shared proof of her registration. “Vinesh Phogat’s registration has already been completed. Why is he creating unnecessary fuss? We have not stopped any wrestler from participating; everyone is very welcome. Instead of talking to the media, she should focus on the match. So far 800 wrestlers have registered and no one has reported any problem,” Singh told IANS.The tournament is scheduled to be held from May 10 to 12 in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh, and registrations are open until April 30. According to WFI, everything is running smoothly and no other wrestlers have had problems logging in.
Comeback plans and Olympic failure
Vinesh is aiming for a comeback after a long hiatus of almost 20 months. She previously announced her retirement after her heartbreaking exit from the Paris Olympics, but later changed her mind. Her Olympic journey gained attention when she became the first Indian female wrestler to reach the finals, even defeating world champion Yui Susaki.However, her campaign ended in disappointment after she was disqualified for being overweight before the final. She later appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and asked for a joint silver medal, but her request was rejected.Now, as he prepares to return to competition, this latest disagreement has added new tension ahead of the tournament.
