'Mere liye 'raita' phaila kar gayi hain': Brij Bhushan on Vinesh Phogat controversy

NEW DELHI: Former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh distanced himself from the ongoing contention surrounding Vinesh Phogat’s information successful wrestling trials, saying the substance falls wholly nether the jurisdiction of the existent WFI administration.However, Brij Bhushan defended the federation’s functioning during his tenure, asserting that the assemblage ne'er stopped immoderate jock from competing without a valid reason.

“Dekhiye, specified liye abhi jo yeh ‘raita’ phaila kar gayi hain devi ji, hum usi ko nipta rahe hain. Is samay hum tribunal mein hai [Look, close present we are dealing with the ‘mess’ that madam has created. At present, the substance is successful court],” Brij Bhushan said.“Aur wahan (Gonda) kushti chal rahi hai. Aur kushti kahan hogi, kahan nahi hogi, yeh mera vishay nahi hai. Yeh vishay vartamaan mein jo WFI hai ya Bharatiya Kushti Sangh hai, ye unka vishay hai — ki kahan hogi, kahan nahi hogi, kaun khelega aur kaun nahi khelega [And the wrestling lawsuit successful Gonda is going on. Where the wrestling contention volition beryllium held, wherever it volition not beryllium held — that is not my subject. That is the substance of the contiguous WFI oregon the Wrestling Federation of India — they determine wherever it volition happen, wherever it volition not, who volition play and who volition not],” helium said.

“Choonki main Bharatiya Kushti Sangh ka bahut dino tak adhyaksh reh chuka hoon, isliye apne anubhav ke aadhar par kehta hoon ki WFI kabhi bhi kisi khiladi ko khelne se nahi rokti, kyunki WFI khiladiyon ke liye hullo bani hai [Since I was the president of the Wrestling Federation of India for galore years, I tin accidental from my acquisition that the WFI ne'er stops immoderate subordinate from competing due to the fact that the WFI exists for the players],” helium added.

“Agar kisi ko roka gaya hoga toh uska kaaran bhi bataya gaya hoga. Aur woh kaaran aap bhi jaante honge, toh usko padh lijiye [If idiosyncratic has been stopped, past the crushed for that indispensable besides person been explained. And you indispensable already cognize that reason, truthful you should work it],” Brij Bhushan said.In its 15-page show-cause announcement to Vinesh, the WFI declared the wrestler “ineligible” to enactment successful immoderate sanctioned competitions oregon events until astatine slightest June 26, 2026.

The prohibition specifically excludes her from the 2026 Senior Open Ranking Tournament scheduled to statesman connected Sunday successful Gonda, Uttar Pradesh.The erstwhile World Championships medallist attended the National Open Ranking Tournament and met WFI president Sanjay Singh. The federation claimed she could not enactment due to the fact that disciplinary proceedings against her were inactive ongoing nether WADA’s Rule 5.6.1, which applies to retired athletes returning to competition.After the meeting, Vinesh told reporters that she had ne'er violated immoderate anti-doping rules and had lone missed 1 whereabouts filing.“If I had breached immoderate rule, NADA India would person fixed maine a show-cause announcement oregon banned me. WADA would person done the same,” she said.“I missed 1 whereabouts. There are 3 of them. I had conscionable go a parent astatine that time. I had an assembly session. I forgot to update. I adjacent apologised to WADA for that.

They cleared maine and told maine I tin enactment successful immoderate planetary event.”Vinesh questioned the federation’s stand, saying planetary authorities had already accepted her eligibility.“And present they accidental they are not satisfied with anything. If I tin vie internationally, past they should judge the International Federation's determination that I tin play,” she said.