The Nationwide Anti-Doping Company (NADA) issued a four-year suspension to wrestler Bajrang Punia on Tuesday for declining to submit a pattern throughout nationwide workforce choice trials on March 10. Following NADA‘s preliminary suspension on April 23, the game’s world governing physique, UWW, additionally imposed sanctions on the Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist.
After Bajrang contested the provisional suspension, NADA’s Anti-Disciplinary Doping panel (ADDP) briefly lifted it on Could 31, pending the issuance of a proper discover of cost.
“Within the current case, because the Athlete had been provisionally suspended, the Panel accordingly holds that the Athlete’s interval of his ineligibility for the interval of Four years shall begin from the date on which the notification was despatched, i.e., 23.04.2024,” the ADDP mentioned in its order.
Bajrang, who lately joined Congress alongside fellow wrestler Vinesh Phogat and assumed management of All India Kisan Congress, had submitted a written problem to the costs on July 11. This was adopted by hearings performed on September 20 and October 4.
“The Panel holds that the Athlete is accountable for sanctions underneath Article 10.3.1 and accountable for ineligibility for a interval of Four years,” the ADDP order learn. “For sure that on account of the lifting of the provisional suspension for the interval from 31.05.2024 to 21.06.2024 shall not be credited into the full interval of ineligibility of 4 years.”
Bajrang has constantly said that he obtained discriminatory and unjust remedy throughout doping management procedures, attributing this to his participation in protests in opposition to former Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
He clarified that he by no means declined to supply a pattern, however reasonably sought clarification from NADA concerning their use of expired testing kits throughout his December 2023 pattern assortment.
“It was not an outright refusal per se. The athlete was at all times keen to supply his pattern supplied that he first obtained a response from NADA regarding the usage of expired kits.”
NADA defended its place by stating that their Chaperone/DCO had correctly approached Bajrang and knowledgeable him concerning the requirement to supply a urine pattern for doping evaluation.
“The Athlete has demonstrated utter disregard in the direction of his duties and tasks as per Articles 20.1 & 20.2 of the Anti Doping Guidelines, 2021,” NADA had mentioned in its response.
