Haryana Wrestling Association president Ramesh Kumar maintained that Vinesh Phogat has repeatedly violated rules for participation and termed her obstinate for deliberately breaking Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) regulations. He said Vinesh did not keep WFI or Haryana Wrestling Association in the loop regarding her career.
Speaking to The Tribune in the wake of the Delhi High Court order, Kumar said they would welcome the court’s decision but added that her indiscipline and rule violations led to her disqualification from the recent ranking tournament in Gonda.
“We spoke to WFI president Sanjay Singh about the Vinesh Phogat case, and he informed us that she has been barred as per the rules and policy. In sports, we cannot discriminate against any player to favour another. She should have adhered to the rules framed by WFI to continue competing,” he said, adding that if she wanted to make a comeback, she should have informed the federation and competed at the zonal, state, and then national levels. “But she wanted a direct entry into the nationals.”
When told that the court had made strong remarks on WFI’s stand in Vinesh’s case, Kumar said they would welcome the order. However, he again faulted Vinesh, stating that her mistake at the Paris Olympics denied India a medal. “Had she been in any other country, there are rules in some countries that impose bans on such players. But we are still liberal with our players,” he stated.
Vinesh’s uncle, Dronacharya awardee coach Mahavir Phogat, hoped she would make an emphatic comeback soon. “She is fighting the legal battle and is also fighting-fit for wrestling on the mat. She is a big player and India has high hopes for her,” he told The Tribune.
Wrestling historian Tejpal Dalal said WFI’s stand in Vinesh’s case indicated that the federation was adamant about denying her a comeback opportunity.
“Vinesh is a proud player for India, and WFI’s stand and intentions towards its players show that all is not well in the federation,” he said, adding that she is a hardworking player with conviction for the game and the country.
Notably, the Delhi High Court, in its decision on Friday, observed that WFI’s departure from the earlier practice of permitting participation by reputed athletes “speaks volumes”.
The court asked the Centre to ensure that Vinesh is allowed to participate in the upcoming Asian Games selection trials as she is on a comeback trail after a maternity break. It also directed the Centre to constitute an expert panel to evaluate her.
WFI, Haryana body accuse Vinesh of indiscipline; Delhi HC backs wrestler’s comeback bid
