Vinesh Phogat's hopes of representing India at the 2026 Asian Games ended on Saturday after she lost 4-6 to Meenakshi Goyat in the women's 53kg semifinal at the selection trials in New Delhi.
The defeat ended Vinesh's bid for a comeback and cost her a chance to secure a berth for the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
Earlier in the day, the two-time World Championships medallist advanced to the semifinals after overcoming Nishu in a dramatic and closely contested bout. After defeating Jyoti 7-1 in her opening match, Vinesh faced a stern challenge from Nishu, who raced to a 5-0 lead and nearly pinned her with a four-point throw in the first period.
Long interruptions caused by challenges and technical issues with the scoring screens gave Vinesh time to recover.
In the second period, she turned the match around with a powerful four-point move and later moved ahead 6-5. The bout eventually ended 6-6, with Vinesh progressing on criteria after Nishu's unsuccessful challenge.
Nishu was left visibly upset after the match and remained on the mat in tears.
Vinesh's participation in the 53kg category itself was uncertain until the morning of the trials. During the official weigh-in, she was initially informed that she could compete only in the 50kg category because she had participated in that division in her last four international events, including the Paris Olympics.
Vinesh objected to the decision and accused the Wrestling Federation of India of discrimination. The matter was resolved after WFI president Sanjay Singh intervened and allowed her to enter the 53kg trials. She subsequently weighed in at 53.9kg and was included in the draw.
The issue had already attracted attention after the Delhi High Court directed the federation to treat Vinesh as an "iconic player" and allow her to participate in the Asian Games selection trials.