Vinesh Phogat had the courage to take on the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and the strongmen who rule the Federation. Now, the WFI is ensuring that Vinesh is put in her place. For those who enjoy seeing the system beat up a champion, this is an ideal case study.
Shaunak Ghosh explains the WFI’s clever tactics: “Vinesh Phogat retired from wrestling after her controversial exit from the Paris Olympics 2024. However, she recently announced her comeback, keeping in mind the Los Angeles Olympics 2028. However, before that, one of the major steps for the star Indian wrestler would have been to participate in the Asian Games 2026. However, she will be not be able to take part in the continental tournament that will be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4. Her journey to represent the nation once again has been abruptly halted, not by an opponent on the mat but by a controversial set of new eligibility criteria and a deepening rift with the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI)…
At the heart of Vinesh Phogat’s exclusion from the Asian Games is a sweeping rule changing the eligibility to take part in the trials. Under the WFI’s newly mandated framework, participation in the selection trials is strictly limited to medal winners from three specific domestic competitions: the 2025 Senior National Wrestling Championship in Ahmedabad, the 2026 Senior Federation Cup in Ghaziabad, and the Under-20 National Wrestling Championship.
The federation has made it explicitly clear that historical achievements and past international glory hold no weight in this cycle. For Phogat, who was on maternity leave during the 2025 Nationals and has not competed professionally since her heartbreaking disqualification for being 100 grams overweight at the Paris 2024 Olympics, these rules act as an insurmountable barrier.”
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