Can Vinesh Phogat compete in comeback event? WADA rule for retired athletes raises question

Wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s eligibility to return to competitive wrestling remains under a cloud ahead of the National Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda due to ambiguity over her compliance with the World Anti-Doping Agency’s mandatory six-month notice rule for athletes coming out of retirement.

Vinesh announced her retirement from the sport after the 2024 Paris Olympics heartbreak but expressed her desire to return to competition in December last year.

She has entered the open ranking tournament, to be held from May 10-12, in 57kg.

However, it remains unclear whether the former world championship medalist has fulfilled the requirement laid down under WADA’s Article 5.6.1, which governs the return of retired athletes to competition.

The rule states that an athlete in a Registered Testing Pool (RTP) — a select group of elite athletes subject to no-notice doping tests — who retires and later wishes to return to active participation must make himself or herself available for testing by giving a six-month prior written notice to the concerned International federation and national anti-doping organisation.

The provision further states that any competitive result obtained in violation of the rule “shall be disqualified” unless the athlete can establish that he or she “could not have reasonably known” that the event was an international or national-level competition.

The six-month period is intended to prevent athletes from spending long spells outside the testing system and then returning directly to competition without adequate monitoring.

The athlete, though, can seek exemption for six-month notice.

“We do not know as of today if Vinesh has fulfilled this criteria. If she is eligible only then she can compete otherwise not. We are waiting for a confirmation from UWW. If Vinesh had sought an exemption we would have been notified by the authorities,” WFI President Sanjay Singh said.

Vinesh had been part of the RTP during her active career and had re-entered the testing pool after deciding to resume training and competition and even missed her test, which ITA listed as her first whereabouts failure.

It is not known whether she gave the mandatory six-month notice before entering the Gonda event, which falls under the national competition structure.

Vinesh was contacted for a comment but her PA said that she was busy.

ASIAD OUT OF BOUND FOR VINESH

Even if Vinesh wins the tournament, the result is unlikely to help fulfil her immediate ambition of making the Indian squad for the 2026 Asian Games.

Under WFI’s selection policy announced in February this year, performances at National Open Ranking tournaments will not be considered for Asian Games trials.

As per the policy, only medal winners from the 2025 Senior National Championships, 2026 Federation Cup and 2026 Under-20 National Championships will be eligible to participate in the Asian Games selection trials, to be held on May 30 (women’s) and May 31 (men’s)

That effectively means Vinesh will not get an opportunity.

– Ends