Vinesh Phogat alleged that the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) was deliberately trying to block her return to the mat after a 20-month hiatus. Vinesh, who retired from the sport after her ordeal at the Paris Olympics, he retired last December. The 31-year-old was preparing to return to the National Open Ranking tournament next month.
However, Vinesh was unable to register for the competition after the WFI portal announced that registrations were closed. According to the WFI circular dated April 8, the last day to apply is April 30. The tournament offers wrestlers who did not participate in the 2025 National Championships and 2026 Federation Cup one last opportunity to qualify for the Asian Games selection trials.
According to the Wrestling Federation Asian Games selection policy, only medal winners from the 2025 National Championships and the 2026 Federation Cup are eligible to compete in the Senior Selection Trials. But those who secure medals at the Open Ranking tournament will earn a place in the national camp, which can also put them in contention for the trials.
Vinesh said she tried to contact WFI about the issue but has not received a response yet.
“I hope to come back for the National Open Ranking Tournament. Registration for it was open till April 30. But when I tried to register, the portal says it is now closed. I tried to contact the administrative staff of the federation but they did not respond to my calls,” Vinesh told The Indian Express.
Vinesh said she faced similar problems in the Federation Cup as well.
“I wanted to compete there as well, but the selection criteria for the teams changed at the last minute, so I couldn’t participate,” she said. “It feels like a deliberate attempt to stop me from competing, especially when it’s an important tournament that we have to bid for Asian Games and World Cup selection,” Vinesh said.
HOW WFI RESPONDED TO VINESH’S CLAIMS
WFI president Sanjay Singh said many wrestlers faced the same problem as Vinesh when it came to registering for the tournament. However, he refuted the claim of the star wrestler that the governing body was trying to stop her in the competition.
“We have received similar complaints from other wrestlers as well. They have contacted our staff and their issues have been resolved. We will not prevent anyone from competing and the tournament remains open to all,” Singh said.
The Asian Games are to be held in September and the World Championships in October.
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Published on:
28 Apr 2026 09:54 IST
