A confrontation has emerged between former Asian Games medallist and Haryana MLA Vinesh Phogat and the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) after Vinesh publicly accused officials of preventing veteran wrestler Nirmala Boora from competing in the recently held national trials in Haryana.
Vinesh, who posted a detailed statement on social media on Saturday, alleged that Boora “was treated extremely unfairly” and was “not allowed to participate in the trials,” adding that she was given no written explanation. She argued that a player with Boora’s credentials “deserved transparency” and warned that the issue reflects wider systemic problems within Indian wrestling administration.
“Nirmala Boora is a highly respected and accomplished athlete from Haryana… she was treated extremely unfairly during the National trials held in Haryana… Nirmala Boora was not allowed to participate in the trials; no reason was given, and no official information was provided,” Vinesh said in her statement.
Vinesh, who represents the Julana constituency, claimed that lack of clarity from state authorities has raised doubts among athletes preparing for major competitions. She further pointed out that Boora, who currently serves as an Inspector in the Haryana Police, is “one of the most senior wrestlers active in India today”, and that she continues to be a role model despite a long career.
The WFI, however, countered the accusations and said the matter related to eligibility rules at the state level rather than any interference by the national body. A WFI official told IANS that Boora “wanted to represent Haryana Police, an organisation that is not even affiliated with the WFI,” and therefore could not be allowed to compete in a state championship.
“My question regarding Nirmala Boora is this: Did she participate at the district level? If not, how can we overlook the kids who did compete there and progressed to this stage after winning? But let’s set that aside for a moment. Nirmala now wants to represent Haryana Police, an organisation that is not even affiliated with the WFI. So how can she be allowed to compete in a state championship?” the official asked.
The WFI also insisted that it has written to the Haryana state body to review the incident, while describing Vinesh’s criticism as “unnecessary”.
“Vinesh Phogat is dragging the WFI into this unnecessarily. This is a Haryana state issue, not a WFI matter. Even so, we have asked the state body to examine the matter and submit a report,” the official added.
The episode comes months after Vinesh retired from wrestling following a dramatic end to her Paris 2024 campaign, where she was disqualified ahead of the 53 kg Olympic final for weight-related reasons. Vinesh remains one of India’s most decorated wrestlers, having won medals at the World Championships and Commonwealth Games, along with Asian titles.
Boora, meanwhile, has competed internationally for more than a decade and holds multiple medals from Asian and Commonwealth events. The debate over her exclusion is expected to continue as Haryana authorities review the matter.