Bajrang Punia again suspended by NADA for four years

Indian wrestler Bajrang Punia was suspended for four years by the National Anti-Doping Agency on Tuesday for his refusal to provide his sample for a dope test in March.

Bajrang was first suspended on 23rd April for four years for the same offense and he was also suspended by the World Governing body UWW.

Bajrang had appealed against the provisional suspension and NADA’s Anti-Disciplinary Doping Panel (ADDP) had revoked it on May 31 till NADA issued the notice of charge.

NADA, then on June 23 served the notice to the wrestler.

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Bajrang had challenged the charge on July 11 in a written submission following which hearings were held on September 20 and October 4.

"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 4 years shall commence from the date on which the notification was sent, i.e., 23.04.2024.

"Needless to say on account of the lifting of the provisional suspension 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 concerning 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 samples but only demanded to know NADA’s response to his email where he sought an answer as to why expired kits were sent to take his samples in December 2023.

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

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

However, the NADA said, "the outright refusal by the athlete to provide e 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."