Wrestler Vinesh Phogat refuses to bow down in front of WFI, shares cryptic tweet

Vinesh Phogat is not backing down in her standoff with the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), which recently barred her from making a comeback at the National Open Ranking tournament over alleged indiscipline and anti-doping rule violations.

In a cryptic post on X on Saturday, May 9, Vinesh indicated that she would continue fighting against the federation amid the ongoing dispute.

“Life is caught in some deep whirlpool’s midst. The world seeks flaws in my character, persists.. Life has always held your head held high. No sword has the power to make it bow,” Vinesh wrote in Hindi.

Earlier this week, the Sanjay Singh-led WFI ruled Vinesh out of the tournament, alleging non-compliance with anti-doping return regulations. According to the federation, Vinesh failed to complete the mandatory six-month notice period required for athletes returning from retirement under UWW Anti-Doping Rules.

The decision means the two-time World Championship medallist will have to wait longer for her return to competitive wrestling. Vinesh had targeted the National Open Ranking event in Gonda, beginning Sunday, as her comeback tournament.

She had announced her retirement from wrestling in 2024 following her heartbreaking disqualification before the gold medal bout at the Paris Olympics 2024.

In a 15-page notice, the WFI alleged that Vinesh’s conduct had caused “lasting damage to the reputation of Indian wrestling” during the Paris Olympics and accused her of violating provisions of the WFI Constitution, UWW International Wrestling Rules and anti-doping regulations.

The row between the two parties has escalated sharply in recent days. Vinesh accused the WFI of deliberately blocking her participation in the Gonda event and reiterated that she was among the six complainants who had accused former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment.

The federation, however, maintained that compliance with WADA regulations was non-negotiable and said the burden of proving eligibility rested with Vinesh.

“We have to see if WADA rules have been followed properly. It has not yet been proved that she has fulfilled the requirements for coming back from retirement. She has to complete the mandatory six-month notice period before she becomes eligible to compete again,” WFI president Sanjay Singh told PTI.

Earlier, in a video message shared on May 3, Vinesh said she was forced to publicly reveal her identity despite legal norms protecting anonymity of complainants in sexual harassment cases. She alleged that attempts were being made to derail her comeback ahead of the 2026 Asian Games and confirmed that she remains one of the complainants in the ongoing criminal case against Brij Bhushan, where testimonies are still being recorded.

– Ends