Wrestler Vinesh Phogat will not be considered for the 2026 Asian Games after being left out of the selection trials as per the latest eligibility criteria of the Wrestling Federation of India.
Under the new rules, only medal winners from the 2025 and 2026 competitions will be eligible to take part in the selection trials. This effectively excludes Phogat as she has not competed in a professional event since her heartbreaking disqualification from the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Phogat had earlier expressed concerns that the Wrestling Federation of India was trying to block her return to the domestic circuit. She claimed the federation did not respond when she initially tried to register for the national open rankings.
“I hope to return to the National Open Ranking Tournament. Registration for it was open until April 30. However, when I tried to register, the portal says it is now closed,” she said.
After she made her concerns public, WFI processed her registration on the deadline day. WFI president Sanjay Singh denied any wrongdoing and said her registration had already been completed, although it was only created after her complaint surfaced.
Phogat also claimed that she faced similar problems ahead of the Federation Cup.
“I had intended to compete there as well, but the selection criteria for the teams was changed at the last minute so I couldn’t participate,” she said. “I feel that this is a deliberate attempt to stop me from competing, especially as it is an important tournament that we have to bid for in the Asian Games and World Cup selection process.
The latest WFI report seems to reinforce her fears. The federation limited eligibility to medal winners from selected events in 2025 and 2026 and made it clear that past performances would not be taken into account.
Eligibility Criteria for Asian Games Selection Exams
All medal winners of Senior National Wrestling Championship 2025 held at Ahmedabad, Gujarat from 12-14 December 2025.
All the medal winners from the 2026 Senior Federation Cup held at Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh from 12th to 14th February 2026.
All Medal Winners of Under 20 National Wrestling Championship held at Bhilai, Chhattisgarh from 10th to 12th April 2026.
The women’s wrestling trials will be held on May 30 at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi, while the freestyle and Greco Roman trials are scheduled for May 31 at the SAI regional center in Lucknow.
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Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
May 6, 2026 10:28 PM IST
