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Olympian Vinesh Phogat, who has stated that she remains eligible in the Senior Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda, said on Monday that she will respond in detail to the WFI show cause notice and it is her desire to win medals for the country.
Phogat, a Congress MLA in Haryana, said she is in Ayodhya, where "everyone's wishes are fulfilled". Asked about her being denied participation by the Wrestling Federation of India in the National Open Ranking Tournament, Vinesh Phogat said "it will only be seen once we go there how the game will be played or not played". "We are trying to respond from our side... We are putting in the effort from our side. We have arrived on the land of the lord where everyone's wishes are fulfilled. Our wish will also be fulfilled. We too desire to win medals for the country," she said. Phogat had earlier said she would submit a detailed response to the show-cause notice issued by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), while asserting that she remains eligible to compete and intends to participate in the Senior Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda. Phogat said in a post on X that she received a show-cause notice of May 9 issued by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). Phogat said she will be providing detailed responses to each claim made in the notice, after consultation with her legal team and her advisors. "However, I would like to clear up a few matters pertaining to the notice to the public. The WFI has misinterpreted the timelines of my sabbatical from sport and subsequent return to training and competitions. As opposed to the date stated by the WFI in their notice, i.e., June 26, 2026, I have been deemed eligible to return to official training and competition on January 1, 2026," she said. "I have official confirmation from the International Testing Agency (ITA) the agency hired by the international federation UWW, the relevant international federation governing doping control for wrestling, pertaining to the same. Therefore, I am eligible to participate in the 2026 Senior Open Ranking Tournament at Nandini Nagar, Gonda scheduled for May 10-12, 2026," she added. Phogat said she has completed her registration for the event. "I do intend to participate in the Tournament and mark my return to the mat in a competitive event," she said. The wrestler also rejected allegations regarding participation in two separate weight categories during the 2024 selection trials at NIS Patiala. "With respect to the whereabouts failure from September 2024, and the Missed Test from December 2025, I confirm that I have co-operated with the relevant result management authorities promptly, and that both events do not amount to anti-doping rule violations per the National Anti-Doping Rules, 2021 or the WADA Code, 2021," she said. "The allegation that I violated various rules by participating in two separate weight categories at the 2024 Selection Trials at NIS Patiala is also false, as the Ad-Hoc Committee governing the WFI at that point of time was well aware of my participation and made no objection at such stage while allowing me to participate," she added. Phogat said she would submit a detailed reply to the WFI within the prescribed 14-day period. "I will establish my innocence and will continue my preparations as I approach my return to competition, and I look forward to the chance at representing India in the 2026 Asian Games and upcoming international events," the wrestler stated. On May 9, WFI issued a detailed show cause notice to the three-time Olympian, accusing her of acts of indiscipline and anti-doping violations, while also declaring her ineligible to compete in the upcoming National Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda. WFI levelled four major charges against the wrestler, including her failure to make weight at the Paris Olympics, alleged anti-doping rule violations, breach of return-to-competition procedures following retirement, and violations during selection trials held in March 2024. The WFI described Phogat's disqualification from the women's 50kg gold medal bout at the Paris 2024 Olympics as a "national embarrassment", stating that she was "duty-bound" to remain compliant with the prescribed weight throughout the competition. The WFI also warned that failure to submit a reply within the stipulated period would result in the matter proceeding ex parte, following which the federation would pass "such order(s) as it may deem fit." The 31-year-old Indian wrestler had announced her retirement a day after failing to make weight for the gold-medal bout at the Paris 2024 Olympics. However, in December last year, she reversed her retirement decision, setting her sights on the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. Vinesh had made it to the final of the women's 50kg event at Paris 2024, securing her spot with a series of impressive victories. She beat Tokyo 2020 champion Yui Susaki of Japan, 2019 European Championships gold medallist Oksana Livach of Ukraine and Pan American Games winner Yusneylis Guzman of Cuba en route to the Paris 2024 final. Vinesh claimed gold medals at both the 2018 Asian Games and Commonwealth Games in the 53kg category. (ANI)
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