Ugly bout: On the show-cause notice to Vinesh Phogat

Double World championships bronze medalist Vinesh Phogat’s comeback bid after a sabbatical following the Paris Olympics hit a roadblock when the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) found her ineligible as per a United World Wrestling (UWW) rule, which requires retired athletes to inform the world body six months prior to their intended return to competition. With an eye on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, Phogat — a prominent face in the 2023 wrestlers’ protest and one of the six women who brought allegations of sexual harassment and started a legal battle against former WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh — was aiming for a brave comeback in the Open Ranking tournament at the Nandini Nagar Mahavidyalaya; Brij Bhushan, also a Gonda strongman and former BJP Member of Parliament, owns it. The National Federation, which is headed by Brij Bhushan’s close aide Sanjay Singh, also issued a show-cause notice to Phogat on three separate, prominent grounds. Firstly, that she did not adhere to the 50kg weight limit and was disqualified after reaching the final at the Paris Olympics. It resulted in her disqualification, a loss of medal and negative publicity. Second, as an athlete in the registered testing pool, who is required to give a time slot every day and be available for dope tests, she had multiple whereabouts failures, including on December 18, shortly after announcing her comeback. Third, Phogat violated a UWW rule by competing in two weight categories, 50kg and 53kg, at a selection trial in March 2024 for an Olympic qualifying event.

But the timing of the show-cause notice and the charges, which Phogat has rubbished, raises doubts about the intentions behind it. As for the Paris fiasco, it happened two years ago. Under World Anti-Doping Agency rules, three missed tests and/or filing failures within a 12-month period constitute an anti-doping rule violation. It is, however, not applicable in Phogat’s case. Moreover, the UWW and National Anti-Doping Agency are the authorities concerned to deal with doping issues. The trials, in which Phogat participated in two weights, were held by an ad hoc body as the WFI was not recognised by the government at the time. As a parent body, the WFI should have shown maturity in handling Phogat’s comeback. Instead, it clubbed together different matters spanning two years to thwart the 31-year-old’s return. Phogat, who is a Congress legislator from Haryana, has shown her strong temperament and is working with her legal team to respond to the show-cause notice within 14 days. Meanwhile, the UWW should step in to stop the ugly bout between a decorated wrestler and the WFI. India can do without further embarrassment on this score.