'I will establish my innocence': Vinesh Phogat responds to WFI show-cause notice

Vinesh Phogat has responded powerfully to the Wrestling Federation of India’s (WFI) show-cause notice, insisting that she is afloat eligible to instrumentality to competitory wrestling and rejecting respective of the federation’s claims regarding timelines and regularisation violations.

In her elaborate statement, Vinesh confirmed receipt of the announcement dated 09.05.2026 and said she volition respond formally aft consulting her ineligible team. However, she besides addressed the substance publicly, saying determination has been a misunderstanding regarding her comeback timeline. She stated that, “The WFI has misinterpreted the timelines of my sabbatical from athletics and consequent instrumentality to grooming and competitions.”

She further clarified that, contrary to the federation’s assertion that she would lone beryllium eligible from June 26, 2026, “I person been deemed eligible to instrumentality to authoritative grooming and contention connected January 1, 2026.” Vinesh added that she has “official confirmation from the International Testing Agency (ITA)” and is truthful eligible to vie successful the ongoing 2026 Senior Open Ranking Tournament successful Gonda. She confirmed, “I bash mean to enactment successful the Tournament and people my instrumentality to the mat successful a competitory event.”

Addressing anti-doping related allegations, she said that the whereabouts nonaccomplishment and missed trial cited by WFI bash not magnitude to violations, stating they “do not magnitude to anti-doping regularisation violations per the National Anti-Doping Rules, 2021 oregon the WADA Code, 2021.” She besides rejected claims regarding information successful aggregate value categories astatine the 2024 enactment trials, saying, “The Ad-Hoc Committee governing the WFI astatine that constituent of clip was good alert of my information and made nary objection.” Vinesh added she volition taxable a elaborate effect wrong 14 days and said, “I volition found my innocence and volition proceed my preparations arsenic I attack my instrumentality to competition.” The WFI, however, has maintained that she remains ineligible until June 26, 2026 owed to retirement-to-return regulations nether anti-doping rules. It besides flagged issues including her Paris 2024 disqualification aft missing value and alleged procedural breaches. Vinesh, meanwhile, remains steadfast connected her presumption that she has complied with each planetary requirements, including notifying United World Wrestling (UWW) of her instrumentality successful beforehand arsenic required nether rules governing retired athletes.