NANDINI NAGAR, GONDA (UP): Vinesh Phogat on Monday posted the International Testing Agency's (ITA) clearance to compete from January 1, 2026. The ITA is the official body that oversees and manages the sport's anti-doping programme of the United World Wrestling (UWW), the international governing body of wrestling. The UWW's anti-doping program includes in-competition and out-of-competition testing, results management including decision for positive tests, therapeutic use exemptions, and athlete education.
Vinesh might be claiming her right to contest at the Senior Open Ranking Tournament citing the ITA's mail but the UWW said the national federations have their criteria and it cannot interfere in it. "UWW doesn't interfere in internal affairs of national federations," Nenad Lalovic, UWW chief, told this daily. On being informed about the ITA's mail and the permission it has given to Vinesh to compete, Lalovic said, "I don't know what ITA is saying. Everything depends on the NF, the organiser of the competition."
Clarifying further, he said the ITA can only suspend someone on the UWW's behalf. "ITA may only suspend someone on our behalf in case of doping. But it has nothing to do with the organiser of the competition. I don't even know what competition is in question."
Lalovic emphasised that the selection is the prerogative of a national federation. "If she is cleared to compete by ITA/UWW, that is the first part. The second is selection by NF. In that case (ranking series criteria), she (Vinesh) has to be selected and announced by the federation," he added.
Notably, the ranking series is an opportunity for wrestlers to get back into the national reckoning. Medallists from the series would gain eligibility to compete at the selection trials, which would be held to select wrestlers for the upcoming World and Commonwealth Championships. Earlier, the WFI has issued selection criteria making it mandatory for wrestlers to compete at the national championships, Federation Cup and a few other events to gain entry into the national camps by bagging medals. The ranking series is a pathway to get into the scheme of things for grapplers, who somehow could not compete or failed to win medals despite participation in the aforementioned events.
Lalovic said the ITA's clearance might indicate that Vinesh is clean of doping but the NSF has the right to set the criteria for selection. "Yes (ITA's clearance and it's impact), but they (NSFs) certainly have their criteria and we are not going to interfere in any way," Lalovic signed off.