Chandigarh (Haryana)
Ace Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat called out the Wrestling Haryana Association (WHA) for their "unfair" selection criteria for Federation Cup 2026, calling it a "betrayal to thousands of hard-working wrestlers".
Vinesh took to X to point out how the trials for selecting the Haryana wrestling team only deem the wrestlers who had won a senior state tournament medal last year and the ones who participated in international events last year as eligible for the trial.
Federation Cup 2026 के लिए हरियाणा कुश्ती संघ की चयन शर्तें पूरी तरह अन्यायपूर्ण हैं।
— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) February 5, 2026
सिर्फ 2025 के सीनियर स्टेट मेडलिस्ट और 2025 में अंतरराष्ट्रीय प्रतियोगिता खेलने वाले पहलवानों को ही ट्रायल में मौका देना, हजारों मेहनती पहलवानों के साथ धोखा है।
क्या 2024 के नेशनल मेडलिस्ट… pic.twitter.com/FIhtMndJan
She claimed that, with the Asian Games and World Championships scheduled for this year, the federation is keeping several wrestlers out of competition, which is affecting their lives.
The two-time World Championship bronze medalist also voiced out that the state-level trials are not fair, and they are preventing new talent from emerging, and urged the Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini to intervene in the matter.
"The selection criteria of Haryana Wrestling Association for the Federation Cup 2026 are completely unfair. Giving trial opportunities only to 2025 Senior State medalists and those wrestlers who participated in international competitions in 2025 is a betrayal of thousands of hardworking wrestlers," said Vinesh's post on X.
"Have 2024 National medalists suddenly become ineligible? Has winning a medal in Sub Junior Nationals now become worthless? Have injured players become criminals? Those wrestlers who could not participate in Senior Nationals in 2025 due to the age limit are completely eligible in 2026. This year, there are major tournaments such as the Asian Games and the World Championships. Playing in such tournaments and bringing medals for the country is every player's dream. But because of these rules, you are eliminating them right now and practically putting a permanent stop to their future. This is not just an injustice to the sport, but openly messing with the players' lives and struggles," she added.
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"Where will our wrestlers go after working hard for so many years? Today, the situation is such that even at the state level, fair trials are not being conducted. In such a scenario, how will new talent emerge for the country? If fair selection is needed, then there should be open trials. Talent is recognised on the mat, and not giving a player a chance to show his talent is a very big betrayal to him. Honourable Chief Minister Sir @cmohry @NayabSainiBJP you should intervene in this matter and ensure justice for the wrestlers of Haryana," she concluded.
