Wushu Trials Row: Divyanshi Threatens Self-Harm After Last-Minute Omission From Asian Games Squad, While Fedration Cited Injury

Indian wushu athlete Divyanshi has threatened to take her own life following her abrupt removal from the national squad for the upcoming Asian Games, sparking a severe crisis at the Patiala national camp. While The Wushu Federation defended Divyanshi's exclusion on fitness grounds, alleging she concealed a knee injury and neglected training. A subsequent medical examination confirmed an ACL tear, ruling her unfit.

The 18-year-old released a nine-minute video alleging months of systemic mental harassment and claiming she was denied any opportunity to defend her selection.

Divyanshi had secured the top spot in the 60kg Sanda category across five successive selection trials. She was replaced at the eleventh hour by veteran athlete Roshibina Devi, a 2022 Asian Games silver medallist who finished fourth in the trials.

Communication Breakdown

Divyanshi stated in the video that her primary grievance extended beyond mere exclusion, centring on the complete lack of communication and transparency regarding her removal. The 18-year-old asserted that she was stripped of her spot without prior notice or any avenue to submit her medical records.

"You are cutting my name and then you are not even telling me. Why? At least tell me. I also have the right to present my side. I am 18 now, and I have the right to speak. I needed to present my point of view at that time. Why wasn't I allowed to? I also needed to show the doctor's report," she said.

This sudden administrative action left the teenager grappling with an abrupt reversal of her athletic standing, as she had received no warning that her position was in jeopardy.

Emotional Distress and Training Camp Claims

The situation escalated further as Divyanshi detailed months of psychological exhaustion stemming from the national camp environment. She maintained that sustained pressure and targeting had pushed her to a breaking point.

"I am extremely forced to do all of this. I am extremely fed up, both with staying here and with everything that has happened, and I don’t think there is any point in living anymore. You tell me, is it right to mentally harass someone this much? I have been mentally harassed to such an extent. I have been subjected to this since July. From June-July until now, it is September, and she has been constantly after me because she wants to go to the Asian Games," she stated.

Alleged Harassment

Adding to the distress, the athlete levelled a serious charge against Roshibina Devi, alleging physical victimisation during preparations at the Srinagar camp.

Divyanshi added that her rival was approaching the Sports Minister and leveraging her influence improperly, while earnestly requesting the federation to intervene. She noted that she had defeated her opponent in the final selection trials and had subsequently faced physical harassment, claiming further that with ten days left in their training camp in Srinagar, her rival had deliberately injured her shoulder, which had kept her out of practice for four or five days.

Despite her camp's ongoing efforts to engage ministerial channels to overturn the substitution, the imminent departure of the Indian contingent for Nagoya leaves little room for a resolution.

The Federation Stance Versus Coach Allegations

The Wushu Federation defended the substitution by citing a medical assessment that revealed an ACL tear, arguing the teenager was physically unfit and failing to train properly.

However, her personal coach, Ashok Gautam told India Today, that he has vehemently rejected this explanation, maintaining that the knee injury was minor and manageable with standard taping. Gautam claimed that Roshibina leveraged her status as an Arjuna awardee to bypass selection protocols.

Gautam stated that she had undergone five trials over the previous year and had secured the top position in all of them, adding that her name had been removed at the last minute to include Roshibina Devi.

He further alleged that Roshibina herself carries persistent knee injuries and does not meet the standard competitive criteria required for selection.

With the Indian contingent scheduled to depart for Nagoya in mere days, intervention efforts by Divyanshi's camp through ministerial channels face an uphill battle. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and sports authorities have yet to issue a formal revised statement addressing the distress calls emerging from the Patiala camp.