Bajrang Punia Banned For Four Years For Anti-Doping Code Violation
The four-year ban was handed to Bajrang Punia for avoiding dope test earlier this year.
Tokyo Olympics bronze medal-winning wrestler, Bajrang Punia, was suspended for four years by the National Anti-Doping Agency on Tuesday. This ban comes after the wrestler refused to provide his sample for dope test on Mar. 10 during selection trials for the Indian national team.
Background
NADA had first suspended Punia on Apr. 23 for the offence, following which the United World Wrestling—the international governing body—also suspended him.
Subsequently, Punia had appealed against the provisional suspension. NADA’s Anti-Disciplinary Doping Panel on May 31 revoked the suspension till it issued the notice of charge. On June 23, NADA served the notice to the wrestler.
Punia, who recently joined India's main Opposition political party Congress, had challenged the charge levelled against him in the notice. On July 11, he refuted the allegations in a written submission. This was followed by hearings which were held on Sept. 20 and Oct. 4.
Following the proceedings, ADDP concluded that Punia was chargeable under Article 10.3.1 of the Anti Doping Rules, 2021.
"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, reported news agency PTI.
'Unfair Treatment'
Punia has consistently claimed that he met unfair treatment during the doping procedures due to his involvement in protests against the former Wrestling Federation of India President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Punia's stand is that he never refused to provide a sample but rather sought clarification from NADA regarding his concerns over the use of expired testing kits that were sent for his samples in December 2023, PTI reported.
NADA, on the other hand, defended its actions, affirming that the doping control officer had appropriately approached him, explaining the requirement to provide a urine sample for analysis.
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 news agency reported.
NADA, however, said, "The outright refusal by the athlete to provide urine sample for the dope test was intentional and deliberate" and that the "athlete has demonstrated utter disregard towards his duties and responsibilities as per Articles 20.1 & 20.2 of the Anti Doping Rules, 2021."
(With PTI inputs)
