New Delhi: The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has issued a comprehensive 15-page show-cause notice to Olympian Vinesh Phogat, citing multiple counts of indiscipline and violations of anti-doping regulations. Consequently, the federation has declared the decorated wrestler ineligible to participate in any domestic competitions until June 26 this year. This suspension effectively forces her out of the National Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda, which was slated to begin on May 10 and was widely anticipated to be her return to the competitive mat after a period of retirement.
The federation’s charges against Phogat are broad and include allegations that her conduct has caused national embarrassment and tarnished the reputation of Indian wrestling. Specifically, the WFI has demanded an explanation regarding her disqualification from the 2024 Paris Olympics for failing to make weight, as well as alleged “whereabouts failures” under international anti-doping rules. Furthermore, the notice highlights her participation in two different weight categories during the March 2024 selection trials—organized by the IOA-appointed ad-hoc committee—as a violation of the UWW International Wrestling Rules and the WFI Constitution.
A significant hurdle cited by the WFI is Phogat’s failure to adhere to the mandatory six-month notice period required by United World Wrestling (UWW) for athletes returning to active competition from retirement. The federation stated that it must ensure no anti-doping rule violations have occurred before she can be cleared to represent the country again. Phogat, who has been a central figure in recent protests against the federation’s leadership, now faces a strict deadline to respond to these allegations while her immediate competitive future remains on hold.
