WFI bars Vinesh Phogat from competing at National Open Ranking Tournament, declares wrestler ineligible till 26 June

Senior wrestler Vinesh Phogat suffered a major setback in her quest to return to the mat and prepare for the next Olympics, with the Wrestling Federation of India barring her from competing in the upcoming National Open Ranking Tournament, where she was due to compete in the 57kg category.

According to news agency Press Trust of India, the WFI has issued a show-cause notice to Vinesh over anti-doping and disciplinary violations, and has declared her ineligible to compete till 26 June for failure to complete a six-month notice period for athletes coming out of retirement, which is in line with the United World Wrestling's anti-doping rules.

The development comes on the eve of the National Open Ranking Tournament, which takes place in Uttar Pradesh's Gonda from 10 to 12 May.

Vinesh had announced her retirement from wrestling after missing out on her maiden Olympic medal at the Paris 2024 Games in heartbreaking fashion, joining politics shortly after and successfully contesting the Haryana state elections on a Congress ticket from the Julana constituency. The 31-year-old, however, reversed her retirement on 12 December, setting her sights on the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

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Vinesh, who had been training for months since announcing her return wrestling, had recently expressed concern over the National Open Ranking Tournament taking place in Gonda – which is the stronghold of former WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has a sexual harassment case lodged against him.

The two-time World Championships bronze medallist then sent shockwaves across the wrestling community by revealing herself as one of six victims in the Brij Bhushan sexual harassment case.

WFI president Sanjay Singh, who is believed to be Brij Bhushan's right-hand man, had dismissed Vinesh's concerns in response to her explosive statement and refused to shift the tournament to an alternate venue.

WFI accuses Vinesh of causing 'lasting damage' to Indian wrestling

In a 15-page notice sent to Vinesh, the WFI has accused Vinesh of causing "lasting damage to reputation of Indian wrestling" through her conduct in the Paris Olympics besides violating provisions of the WFI Constitution as well as UWW's rules and anti-doping regulations.

The wrestling federation has also asked Vinesh to explain her disqualification from the Paris Games for failing her weight test, alleged whereabouts failures under anti-doping rules competing in two different weight categories during selection trials in March 2024.

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Vinesh is also accused of a "missed Test" in relation to an unsuccessful doping control attempt on 18 December, 2025, as per a 4 May, 2026 communication from the International Testing Agency acting on behalf of the UWW.

"The Federation must satisfy itself that you have not committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation that would render you ineligible to represent the Federation in any forthcoming competition," the WFI was quoted by news agency Press Trust of India as telling Vinesh in its notice.

Any wrestler seeking to return to competition from retirment must notify the UWW at least six months in advance and must also remain available for testing during that period, which the WFI alleges was not fulfilled by Haryana wrestler.

Vinesh, whose much-awaited comeback from retirement has been delayed by nearly two months, has been given a total of 14 days to respond to the WFI's notice.