Why WFI’s handling of Vinesh Phogat’s comeback is raising eyebrows

The battle between Vinesh Phogat and the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has descended into a full-blown crisis, once again exposing the fault lines within Indian wrestling. The main focus is on the federation’s handling of her comeback attempt, which is raising uncomfortable questions.

Vinesh Phogat, a double World Championships bronze medallist and the prime face of the wrestlers' protest against former WFI head Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, was hoping to return to competition with an eye on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Instead, her comeback has been stalled by a WFI show-cause notice that combines allegations ranging from her Paris Olympics disqualification to missed anti-doping whereabouts filings and alleged technical violations during trials.

But the timing and manner of the federation’s action appear less administrative and more punitive.

Why questions are being raised over WFI

Phogat herself believes the intent is clear. “Basically, the WFI wants to stop me from participating in the Asian Games. The WFI wants me to retire,” she told the Indian Express after meeting WFI officials.

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One of the biggest concerns is the federation’s delay in acting. Phogat revealed that she had informed both the WFI and the international federation in December 2025 about her intention to return. She also said the International Testing Agency had already allowed her to compete after she explained the circumstances surrounding a missed dope test.

“There was a five-month gap between then and now, but the WFI didn’t react,” she said. “They accepted my registration, took the fees but after 10 days, they thought ‘how do we stop her?’”

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That sequence has strengthened the perception that the federation moved only after her return became imminent.

The anti-doping angle also appears less straightforward than the notice suggests. Under World Anti-Doping Agency rules, three whereabouts failures within a 12-month period are generally required to trigger a violation. Phogat admitted there was one missed test, calling it “my mistake”, but there is no public indication that she crossed the threshold for an anti-doping offence.

Similarly, the federation’s decision to revive the Paris Olympics weight controversy has raised eyebrows. Phogat’s disqualification in Paris after exceeding the 50kg limit before the final was already one of the most painful episodes of her career. Bringing it back now, nearly two years later, has led many to question why old matters are suddenly central to her eligibility.

The backdrop makes the dispute impossible to separate from politics and the wrestlers’ protest movement of 2023. Phogat was among the wrestlers who accused former WFI president Brij Bhushan of sexual harassment. Recently, she publicly confirmed she was one of the victims.

“I took the decision because the system was turning a blind eye,” she said, while also questioning why her comeback tournament was scheduled in Gonda, Brij Bhushan’s stronghold. “Anything could have happened to me in Gonda.”

Despite the pressure, Phogat insists she will continue fighting. “I want to be the person who fights till her last breath even if the system is against me,” she said. “Nobody remembers those who don’t speak up. Jhansi Ki Rani is remembered for dying on the battlefield.”

Whether the WFI’s actions are legally justified will likely be decided later. But in the court of public perception, the federation is increasingly struggling to explain why one of India’s most decorated wrestlers appears to be fighting administrators as much as opponents on the mat.