Vinesh Phogat Set for Wrestling Return After 20 Months as Registration Confusion Ends
Indian wrestling star Vinesh Phogat has officially confirmed her participation in the upcoming National Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda, bringing an end to speculation surrounding her return to competitive wrestling.
The tournament, scheduled from May 10 to 12, will mark Vinesh’s first competitive appearance in nearly 20 months a comeback that carries enormous emotional and sporting significance after one of the most turbulent phases of her career. The 57kg wrestler confirmed on Tuesday that her registration for the ranking event had finally been completed after earlier concerns regarding difficulties with the Wrestling Federation of India’s registration portal.
“My registration to participate in the upcoming ranking tournament was done this morning. I could not complete the registration yesterday as the link was closed. Thank you for the support from everyone. I am looking forward to competing in my first competition after 20 months,” Vinesh posted on social media.
Her statement came after confusion emerged over whether she was being prevented from entering the competition. Earlier, Vinesh had indicated frustration regarding the registration process, leading to concerns among fans and sections of the wrestling community.
However, the Wrestling Federation of India clarified that the issue was related to technical difficulties affecting multiple wrestlers rather than an attempt to specifically block her participation. According to information shared by WFI officials, Vinesh’s registration had actually been processed at 10:29 pm on Monday night after the portal issue was resolved. Regardless of the confusion, the larger story now shifts toward her long-awaited return to the mat.
The upcoming tournament in Gonda will be Vinesh’s first appearance since the devastating events surrounding the Paris Olympics 2024. The Indian wrestler had reached the final of the women’s 50kg category in Paris, becoming the first Indian woman wrestler ever to qualify for an Olympic final. But in one of the most heartbreaking moments in Indian sporting history, she was disqualified on the morning of the gold medal bout after failing the weigh-in by a small margin.
The disqualification ended her Olympic campaign abruptly despite her sensational performances earlier in the tournament, where she had defeated multiple top-ranked opponents. Emotionally shattered after the incident, Vinesh initially announced her retirement from wrestling.
At the time, it appeared her decorated career had ended in heartbreak. But over the past year, the narrative has slowly changed.
Since Paris, Vinesh’s life has undergone major personal and professional transformations.
In October 2024, she entered politics and successfully became an MLA after contesting the Haryana Assembly elections on a Congress ticket. Her transition into public life added another dimension to her already influential profile in Indian sport. Alongside politics, she also embraced motherhood another life-changing chapter that naturally shifted priorities away from competitive wrestling for a period.
For most athletes, balancing elite sport with political responsibilities and family life would appear almost impossible. Yet Vinesh has continued training quietly in the background, keeping alive the possibility of a return. Her decision to reverse retirement reflects unfinished sporting ambitions that still remain strong.
Sources within Indian wrestling circles suggest Vinesh’s comeback is being driven by two major long-term targets: the 2026 Asian Games and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. At 30, she remains one of India’s most experienced and technically accomplished wrestlers. While the physical demands of international wrestling remain intense, Vinesh’s experience, mat intelligence, and tactical discipline still make her a serious contender domestically. The Gonda ranking tournament will therefore be more than just another competition. It will serve as an important assessment of where she currently stands physically and competitively after such a long absence.
Few athletes in Indian wrestling have carried the influence and visibility of Vinesh Phogat over the last decade. A Commonwealth Games champion, Asian Games gold medallist, World Championships medallist, and multiple-time Olympian, Vinesh has played a major role in pushing Indian women’s wrestling into the global spotlight. She also became one of the central figures during Indian wrestling’s prolonged administrative crisis and protests against former federation leadership, emerging as a strong voice for athlete rights.
That broader impact means her return carries emotional significance far beyond rankings and medals.
Fans will now be eager to see how quickly she can rediscover competitive rhythm after nearly two years away from active competition. The 57kg category at the ranking tournament is expected to feature several emerging wrestlers hoping to establish themselves nationally. For many younger athletes, sharing the mat with Vinesh itself will be a major moment. But the tournament will also test how much the experienced wrestler still has left at elite level. Questions naturally remain.
How will her body respond after the long break? Can she regain international-level sharpness? Will she eventually return to global competition full-time?
Those answers will only emerge over time. For now, though, the most important development is simple: Vinesh Phogat is returning to competition. After Olympic heartbreak, retirement, political transition, and motherhood, one of India’s biggest wrestling stars is preparing to step back onto the mat once again.
And for Indian wrestling, that alone feels significant.
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