2 hours ago
1
Former satellite championships medallist Vinesh Phogat was connected Saturday (May 30, 2026) allowed to vie successful the women's 53kg class astatine the Asian Games enactment trials aft the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) reversed its earlier basal of restricting her information to the 50kg division.
The melodramatic crook of events came during the authoritative weigh-in connected Saturday (May 30, 2026) greeting erstwhile Vinesh was informed that she would beryllium permitted to vie lone successful the 50kg category, citing her information successful that value people successful her past 4 planetary events, including the Paris Olympics.
The wrestler powerfully objected to the determination and accused the federation of discriminating against her by denying her the accidental to vie successful a class of her choice.
Sources contiguous astatine the venue said the substance escalated earlier WFI president Sanjay Singh intervened and decided to let Vinesh to participate the 53kg trials arsenic well.
"We allowed her aft she threw accusations and asked the officials to instrumentality her weight," WFI president Sanjay Singh told PTI.
"We bash not privation to discriminate anyone. She did not pass which class she wants to vie and inactive letting her."
Vinesh subsequently weighed successful astatine 53.9kg and was accommodated successful the 53kg draw.
It present sets up an intriguing conflict betwixt her, different proven performer Antim Panghal and the fast-rising Meenakshi Goyat.
In a little chat with media portion preparing, Vinesh said, "I americium present for astatine slightest 2 years."
The improvement was a important climb-down by the WFI, which had maintained that Vinesh would beryllium considered lone for the 50kg category.
The federation's statement was that the wrestler had consistently competed successful that part successful caller planetary competitions and had not formally intimated the WFI astir switching categories for the trials.
The contented had already generated sizeable contention aft the Delhi High Court directed the WFI to dainty Vinesh arsenic an "iconic player" and let her to enactment successful the Asian Games enactment trials.
Vinesh, however, has competed successful aggregate value divisions during her career, including 53kg, and was keen to contention the trials successful that category.
The victor of the trials volition gain the close to correspond India astatine the Asian Games aboriginal this year.
The WFI's determination to accommodate Vinesh successful the 53kg gully ended hours of uncertainty and ensured that 1 of India's astir decorated women wrestlers remained successful contention for an Asian Games berth.
