WFI President Declares Vinesh Phogat 'Won't Make It' To Asian Games Trial In Time

Last Updated:May 12, 2026, 18:28 IST

WFI president Sanjay Singh says disciplinary proceedings make Vinesh Phogat unlikely for May 30 Asian Games trials, World Championships trials depend on committee decision.

The Wrestling Federation of India’s standoff with Vinesh Phogat has intensified, with WFI president Sanjay Singh indicating that the star wrestler is now unlikely to make it to the Asian Games selection trials scheduled for May 30 because of the time required to resolve the disciplinary proceedings against her.

The development comes a day after the federation reiterated its decision to bar Vinesh from participating in the ongoing Senior Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda, despite her insistence that she remains eligible to compete. The WFI had earlier issued the Olympian a 15-page show-cause notice, accusing her of indiscipline and anti-doping-related violations, while also declaring her ineligible for domestic competition until June 26.

Vinesh, however, has strongly rejected the allegations and maintained that the federation has ‘misinterpreted’ the timeline of her sabbatical from wrestling and her subsequent return to training. In a statement issued on Monday, she said she possesses confirmation from the International Testing Agency (ITA), which oversees anti-doping matters for wrestling, that she became eligible to resume official training and competitions from January 1, 2026.

The controversy stems partly from the aftermath of the 2024 Paris Olympics, where Vinesh was dramatically disqualified from the women’s 50kg final after being found overweight on the second day of competition. The WFI notice reportedly cited the episode as having damaged the image of Indian wrestling, though Vinesh has denied any wrongdoing under the National Anti-Doping Rules and the WADA Code.

Speaking from Gonda on Tuesday, Sanjay Singh said the federation could not relax its procedures despite Vinesh’s stature in Indian wrestling.

“There was no reason for Vinesh to come here, as she was barred. But when Vinesh came to Gonda yesterday, the WFI briefed her about the reasons for which she was issued a show-cause notice. She told me that she will give a detailed reply. Once she replies, a disciplinary committee of the WFI will take a call within 10 days. For the Asian Games, she won’t be able to make it because the trial is on May 30 for women wrestlers. Will she be able to give her detailed reply, and will the committee have time to take a call on her participation? I don’t think so. When it comes to the trials for the World Championships, the WFI will take a call depending on what she mentions in her reply," Singh told The Indian Express.

While the Asian Games trials now appear out of reach, the door remains open for Vinesh to feature in the selection trials for the World Championships in Bahrain later this year, but even that is subject to the disciplinary committee’s final decision.

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