‘Allow Vinesh to Compete’: Sakshi Malik Appeals to PM, Sports Ministry

NEW DELHI:
Olympic bronze medallist Sakshi Malik has come out in strong support of Vinesh Phogat, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya to allow the wrestler to participate in the competitions to ensure her return to international events.

Vinesh, who announced her retirement hours after her disqualification from the Paris Olympics 2024. She welcomed her baby boy last July and later reversed her decision to retire. She is now eyeing a comeback after nearly 20 months.

In its 15-page show cause to Vinesh, the WFI had declared the wrestler “ineligible” to participate in any sanctioned competitions or events until at least June 26, 2026. This ban specifically excludes her from the 2026 Senior Open Ranking Tournament scheduled to begin Sunday in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh.

“I request my Prime Minister (Narendra Modi), Sports Minister (Mansukh Mandaviya), and the Wrestling Federation to take Vinesh’s Trials. So that they can also win medals for the country and make the country proud. And to set such an example, so that women can play in their own country, even after becoming a mother, win medals and make the country proud,” she added.

Further reacting to the matter, Sakshi highlighted the disparity in how sports federations globally support female athletes, particularly those returning to the sport after motherhood.

“I can give many such examples, where the sports federations of other countries make the rules easier for their players. So that even after becoming a mother, women can play for the country and win medals. Whereas our federation implements such rules 2 days before, so that Vinesh cannot make a comeback,” Sakshi said in a video she shared on social media.

Despite being deemed Vinesh showed up at the Senior National Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda and stated that that both the International Testing Agency (ITA) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) had cleared her to return to competition on January 1, 2026.