Vinesh Phogat arrived in Ayodhya on Monday and responded to the show-cause notice issued by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), asserting that she was eligible to come out of retirement and compete again. However, the federation maintained that she cannot participate in the ongoing National Open Ranking tournament until the disciplinary proceedings against her are concluded.
The WFI had earlier declared Vinesh ineligible to take part in domestic competitions until June 26, 2026, pointing to the mandatory six-month notice period required for athletes returning from retirement under anti-doping regulations.
Soon after reaching Ayodhya, Vinesh submitted her reply to the federation, arguing that Rule 5.6.1 of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code did not apply in her case because she had already informed United World Wrestling (UWW) in June about her decision to resume competitive wrestling following retirement.
According to UWW regulations, any athlete planning a comeback after retirement must notify the international federation at least six months before returning to competition and remain available for doping tests during that period.
Vinesh stated that her official communication to UWW regarding her return satisfied all procedural conditions necessary for competing again.
However, sources within the WFI said the federation was dissatisfied with her response, claiming that she addressed only the eligibility issue while failing to adequately answer the broader disciplinary allegations mentioned in the detailed notice sent to her on Saturday.
“The reply is not enough. She has not answered the complete show-cause notice. Until a disciplinary hearing takes place and a decision is reached, she cannot be allowed to compete,” a WFI source told. “We are not stopping her from coming here, but until we receive a full explanation—and not just on one matter — she will have to wait,” the source added.
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The dispute escalated after the WFI issued a strongly worded notice accusing the decorated wrestler of indiscipline, violation of federation rules, and procedural breaches related to anti-doping regulations.
Before receiving the notice, Vinesh had alleged that the WFI was attempting to block her participation in the tournament. The federation also rejected claims that the selection criteria for the National Open Ranking Tournament had been changed specifically to prevent her from competing, insisting that a “false narrative” was being circulated.
Vinesh had announced her retirement after being disqualified from the women’s 50kg gold medal bout at the 2024 Paris Olympics for failing to meet the weight requirement.
Her husband, Sombir Rathi, later argued that she had never formally retired and had only expressed her decision through a social media post. However, the WFI maintained that a communication from UWW in December 2024 confirmed that she had informed the International Testing Agency about her retirement.
The federation has sought explanations from Vinesh on multiple issues, including her disqualification from the Paris Olympics due to weight failure, alleged whereabouts violations under anti-doping protocols, and competing in two weight divisions during the March 2024 selection trials conducted by the then IOA-appointed ad-hoc committee.
The weigh-in for women wrestlers participating in the Ranking event is scheduled between 5 pm and 7 pm on Monday, while the competition itself will take place on Tuesday.
Medal winners from the event are expected to earn an opportunity to compete in the World Championship trials later this year. However, under WFI policy, they will not be eligible to participate in the Asian Games trials.
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