Vinesh Phogat is set to miss the upcoming Asian Games selection trials after the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) announced fresh eligibility criteria that effectively shut the door on her comeback hopes.
Just months before the Continental Games, the WFI stated that only medal winners from select national-level competitions held in 2025 and 2026 will be eligible to participate in the trials.
The decision comes as a major setback for the former World Championships medallist, who has not competed in any professional event since her heartbreaking disqualification at the 2024 Summer Olympics.
The women’s trials are scheduled to be held on May 30 at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, while the men’s freestyle and Greco-Roman trials will take place at the SAI Regional Centre in Lucknow on May 31.
Under the new guidelines, eligibility for the Asian Games trials will be restricted to medal winners from:
- The 2025 Senior National Wrestling Championship in Ahmedabad
- The 2026 Senior Federation Cup in Ghaziabad
- The 2026 Under-20 National Wrestling Championship in Bhilai
Since Vinesh did not participate in any of these tournaments, the criteria virtually eliminate her from contention for the trials.
The development also appears to validate concerns earlier raised by the wrestler regarding her strained relationship with the federation.
Vinesh had previously alleged that the WFI was creating obstacles in her attempt to return to the domestic circuit. She claimed that while trying to register for the National Open Ranking Tournament, the registration portal showed that entries had already closed.
“I am hoping to make a comeback at the National Open Ranking Tournament. The registration for it was open till April 30. However, when I tried to register, the portal said it is now closed,” Phogat had said.
The wrestler, who is now also a Congress MLA in Haryana, had expressed hopes of making a competitive comeback through the domestic route ahead of the Asian Games cycle.