Vinesh Phogat effectively out of 2026 Asian Games contention as WFI releases selection criteria

Vinesh Phogat has effectively been shut out of the 2026 Asian Games selection process after the Wrestling Federation of India announced eligibility criteria for the upcoming trials.

According to the WFI circular released on Wednesday, only medal winners from the 2025 Senior National Wrestling Championships, the 2026 Senior Federation Cup, and the Under-20 National Wrestling Championships will be eligible to compete in the Asian Games selection trials later this month.

The criteria leaves Vinesh ineligible, as the former world championships medallist has not competed since the Paris Olympics and therefore does not meet the qualification requirements laid out by the federation.

Comeback plans hit setback amid fresh controversy

The development comes less than a week after Vinesh announced her return to wrestling following an 18-month absence from the sport.

She was expected to compete in the women’s 57kg category at the Senior Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda.  

However, the wrestler recently alleged that she faced difficulties in registration and raised concerns over the venue being located in Gonda, the political stronghold of former WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

Vinesh had also questioned the neutrality of officiating and expressed fears over safety during the event.

In a social media statement earlier this week, she additionally revealed that she was among the wrestlers who had filed complaints against the former WFI chief.

The Senior Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda was expected to be a crucial tournament for grapplers to put their hat in the ring for the 2026 Asian Games, but it has now been scrapped off its life altogether.

The newly announced selection policy now places another major obstacle in front of Vinesh's comeback, with the Asian Games pathway effectively closed unless the federation revises the eligibility conditions or grants an exemption.

The criteria set by WFI also outrightly states that "Past performances will not be considered," further pushing the two-time world championship medallist into a corner.

In addition, Vinesh recently received a doping whereabouts failure notice from the International Testing Agency, adding another layer of complication during her comeback phase.