Vinesh Phogat has fired back at the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), claiming the national body misinterpreted the timeline of her sabbatical from the sport. Two days after the WFI issued a show-cause notice and banned her from competing until June 2026, the star wrestler asserted that she has been cleared to return to training and competition since January 1, 2026.
“I acknowledge receipt of the show cause notice dated 09.05.2026 issued by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) to me,” Phogat said in a statement. “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 added that she has official confirmation from the International Testing Agency (ITA), the anti-doping body hired by the international federation UWW, regarding her eligibility. The WFI’s show-cause notice had argued that Phogat had not informed the ITA of her return, making her ineligible for six months until June 26 under UWW rules.
Phogat stated she is eligible to participate in the 2026 Senior Open Ranking Tournament scheduled for May 10-12 in Nandini Nagar, Gonda. “Having completed my registration for the same, I do intend to participate in the Tournament and mark my return to the mat in a competitive event,” she said.
According to reports, Phogat had already checked into a hotel in Ayodhya, a few kilometers from Gonda, and the verification process for women athletes was set to begin at 5 pm on Monday ahead of the competition. It remains uncertain whether the WFI will allow her to compete.
Later in the day, Phogat reportedly met WFI President Sanjay Singh to request permission to compete. The federation denied her request, refusing to let her use training facilities or complete the verification process, stating she had not replied to the show-cause notice. Singh noted that Phogat had not provided any document proving the ITA or World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) had cleared her.
Shortly after, Phogat posted an email from the ITA on social media, which explicitly stated: “You are allowed to compete from January 1st, 2026 onwards,” signed by Testing Officer Estelle Daloz.
“I have been given written permission by the ITA to compete from 1 Jan, 2026, I was allowed to register for the 2026 Senior Open Ranking Tournament at Nandini Nagar, Gonda on the 28th of April, 2026. I came to Gonda today to participate but I have neither been allowed to complete my verification, nor been allowed to use the training hall here. I don’t want any special privileges, I just want to compete on merit,” Phogat wrote in her post.
The standoff continues, with Phogat insisting she has met all eligibility requirements while the WFI maintains its position.