Vinesh Phogat faces fresh uncertainty over her competitive return ahead of the National Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda after questions emerged regarding compliance with a key World Anti-Doping Agency regulation.
The star Indian wrestler had announced her retirement following the heartbreak of the 2024 Summer Olympics before later expressing her desire to return to wrestling in December 2025. She has now entered the upcoming ranking tournament in the 57kg category, scheduled to be held from May 10 to 12.
WADA’s six-month rule clouds Vinesh Phogat’s comeback
The uncertainty surrounding Phogat’s return stems from WADA’s mandatory six-month notice rule for retired athletes seeking to resume professional competition.
Under anti-doping regulations, athletes who officially retire from sport are generally required to remain available for anti-doping testing for a six-month period before they can regain eligibility to compete at elite events. Since Phogat had publicly announced her retirement after the Paris Olympics, questions are now being raised about whether she fulfilled all procedural requirements needed for a competitive return.
The ambiguity over her compliance has cast doubt over her eligibility to participate in the National Open Ranking Tournament despite her entry being submitted for the event.
The issue has now become another major hurdle in the decorated wrestler’s attempted comeback after months away from active competition.
WFI eligibility rules further complicate her return
Apart from the WADA-related uncertainty, Wrestling Federation of India regulations have also dealt a major blow to Phogat’s hopes of returning to the international stage quickly.
The WFI’s latest eligibility criteria for the 2026 Asian Games selection trials state that only wrestlers who secured medals during the 2025 and 2026 competitive seasons will be eligible for trials.
Because Phogat has not competed professionally since her disqualification at the Paris Olympics, she currently does not satisfy those performance requirements, effectively shutting her out of immediate Asian Games qualification contention.
The development also appears to validate concerns earlier raised by Phogat regarding her strained relationship with the federation. She had previously alleged that the WFI was creating obstacles in her domestic comeback efforts and claimed that her attempts to register for the National Open Ranking Tournament had initially been ignored.
With anti-doping eligibility questions and federation criteria both standing in the way, Phogat’s much-anticipated return to wrestling now remains uncertain despite her clear intent to compete again.