An ongoing controversy between Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat has emerged in which she is accusing the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) of deliberately setting obstacles to stop her return to the sport. The 31-year-old, who shocked everyone by walking out of wrestling after her disqualification at the 2024 Paris Olympics, recently announced her comeback into the sport with plans to represent India at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
The current conflict is due to the upcoming National Open Ranking Tournament, which is slated to take place in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh in June. The tournament is essential for athletes looking to qualify for both the Asian Games and the World Championship Trials.
The Registration Controversy
According to Vinesh, despite the cut-off date for registration being April 30, she was unable to register herself on the WFI portal as the entries were already closed. “I tried reaching out to the WFI officials multiple times, but nobody is answering me back,” Vinesh said to media. “It seems like this is an attempt made deliberately to stop me from participating in the upcoming tournament, which is crucial for Asian Games qualification.”
It is worth noting that, according to WFI’s Asian Games selection policy, only medal winners from the National Championships and the 2026 Federation Cup are eligible to compete in the senior selection trials. However, the medallists at the Open Ranking tournament will also get a place in the national camp, further putting them in contention for the trials.
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