Asian Games Trials: Meenakshi Goyat Argues with WFI Officials After Final Defeat to Antim Pangal (WATCH)

Indian wrestler Meenakshi Goyat sparked chaos at the Asian Games 2026 trials after her 53 kg final defeat to Antim Pangal. She and her father argued with WFI officials, including president Sanjay Singh, alleging biased refereeing, despite her earlier semifinal win over Olympian Vinesh Phogat.

Indian woman wrestler Meenakshi Goyat sparked chaos by arguing with officials of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) following her final defeat to Antim Pangal in the Asian Games 2026 trials at Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi on Saturday, May 30.

Meenakshi Goyat entered the 53 kg final after defeating three-time Olympian Vinesh Phogat, who returned to the mat for the first time since the Paris Olympics 2024, in the semifinal. However, Meenakshi failed to secure her spot for the Asian Games after a 2-3 defeat to Antim Pangal, who showcased her dominance in the category to claim the official selection for the Indian squad.

Though Meenakshi stole the spotlight at the trials following her victory over Vinesh, she was unable to carry that momentum into the final, as he narrowly missed the Asian Games berth in the 53 kg category by just one point to Antim.

Meenakshi Argues with WFI Officials After Defeat

As Meenakshi Goyat ended her campaign in the 53 kg division, the atmosphere at the Indira Gandhi Stadium turned tense and chaotic. Following a defeat to Antim Pangal, Meenakshi had a heated argument with WFI officials, including its president Sanjay Singh, over perceived unfairness in the officiating during the final bout.

According to the report by Revsports, Meenakshi expressed her dissatisfaction with the refereeing decisions, alleging bias in the awarding of passivity points during the closely contested final against Antim Pangal. She and her father argued with WFI officials for over 10 minutes after the final, refusing to accept the referee’s decision.

Despite her claims of bias, the result stood as Antim Pangal was declared the winner by a narrow 3-2 margin, sealing her place in the Asian Games squad. The video of her argument with the WFI officials went viral on social media, especially X (formerly Twitter).

Watch 🎥 

Chaos reached its zenith at the Asian Games trials.

A lot of drama unfolded after bout as Meenakshi & her father refused to accept the referee's decision.

Meenakshi protested for more than 10 minutes, alleging bias in the passivity points awarded to Antim. However,… pic.twitter.com/IhXgDSccBD

— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) May 30, 2026

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has been at the centre of controversy after it denied Vinesh Phogat’s participation in the Asian Games trials, citing eligibility criteria that required medal-winning performances in specific recent domestic tournaments. However, the Supreme Court intervened and allowed the veteran Indian wrestler to participate in the selection trials scheduled for May 30 and 31, 2026.

Since 2024, the WFI has been frequently embroiled in public disputes, especially after the allegations of sexual assault by the female wrestlers, including Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat, against its former president, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

Who Is Meenakshi Goyat?

Just like other Indian wrestlers, Meenakshi Goyal also comes from a humble farming family in Chabri (or Nidani) village in the Jind district of Haryana. Her family relocated her to Sonipat for a better infrastructure and training facility. A fan of WWE legend John Cena, Meenakshi has long aspired to reach the pinnacle of international wrestling.

Meenakshi Goyat achieved success at the national level by winning a gold medal at the Sub-Junior National Championship in 2016, followed by success at the junior national level in 2018. Goyat shot to fame when she defeated World No. 1 and two-time World Championships medalist Antim Panghal at national trials for the Asian Championships in March this year, ending Antim’s four-year domestic winning streak.

In April 2026, Meenakshi clinched her maiden medal at the Asian Wrestling Championships, winning silver after losing to China’s Jin Zhang. At the Asian Games 2026 trials, Meenakshi Goyat once again stunned the wrestling fraternity by defeating three-time Olympian Vinesh Phogat in the semifinals, before narrowly losing to Antim Pangal in a contentious final.

Following her defeat in the Asian Games trials, Meenakshi Goyat will shift her focus to securing her berth for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, which will take place from July 14 to July 30, 2028.