NADA imposes four-year suspension on wrestler Bajrang Punia for anti-doping code violation

The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) suspended Bajrang Punia for four years on Tuesday for refusing to provide a sample for a drug test during the national team selection trials on March 10.

Initially, NADA suspended the Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist on April 23 for the same violation, prompting the World Wrestling Body (UWW) to impose a suspension as well, PTI reported.

Bajrang appealed the provisional suspension, and on May 31, NADA's Anti-Disciplinary Doping Panel (ADDP) lifted it, pending the issuance of a charge notice from NADA.

On June 23, NADA formally issued the charge notice to the wrestler.

Bajrang, who joined Congress along with fellow wrestler Vinesh Phogat and was given charge of All India Kisan Congress, had challenged the charge on July 11 in a written submission following which hearings were held on September 20 and October 4.

What does order state?

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"The Panel holds that the Athlete is liable for sanctions under Article 10.3.1 and liable for ineligibility for a period of 4 years," the ADDP said in its order.

The suspension means that Bajrang will not be able to return to competitive wrestling and apply for a coaching job abroad, if he aspires to.

"In the present case, since the Athlete had been provisionally suspended, the Panel accordingly holds that the Athlete’s period of his ineligibility for the period of 4 years shall commence from the date on which the notification was sent, i.e., 23.04.2024.

"Needless to say that on account of the lifting of the provisional suspension for the period from 31.05.2024 to 21.06.2024 shall not be credited into the total period of ineligibility of four years."

Bajrang has maintained since the beginning that he was given extremely prejudicial and unfair treatment with respect to doping control because of his involvement in the protest against former WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

Bajrang also maintained that he never refused to give sample but only demanded to know NADA’s response to his email where he sought answer why expired kits were sent to take his samples in December 2023.

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NADA also explained the reason for its action, saying that the Chaperone/DCO had duly approached him and informed that he was required to provide a urine sample for dope analysis purposes.

Bajrang in his written submission said that the conduct of NADA in two previous instances had created mistrust in the athlete's mind, especially with NADA failing to acknowledge or even respond to their callous approach towards the doping control process in both such instances, the failure to take responsibility for their action pertaining to their dispersal of duties meant that the athlete was morally bound to take a stance in resort as a senior athlete who holds a voice in the sporting community.

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Bajrang also said "it was not an outright refusal per se. The athlete was always willing to provide his sample provided that he first received a response from NADA concerning the use of expired kits."

However NADA said, "the outright refusal by the athlete to provide urine sample for the dope test was intentional and deliberate" and that “Athlete has demonstrated utter disregard towards his duties and responsibilities as per Articles 20.1 & 20.2 of the Anti Doping Rules, 2021.”

(With inputs from PTI)