National Anti-Doping Agency suspended wrestler Bajrang Punia for four years for violating rules

Wrestler Bajrang Punia He was suspended for four years by the National Anti-Doping Agency on Tuesday for allegedly refusing to provide a sample for a doping test on March 10, PTI reported.

The agency is an autonomous body under the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

Punia, ANI described the suspension of Congress, who joined the Congress in September, as a “political conspiracy”.

He claimed that the action was taken because he participated in protests alleging sexual assault against former Indian Wrestling Federation chief and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

National Anti-Doping Agency initially suspended He was named an Olympic bronze medalist in April for refusing to submit his samples during the selection of the Indian team for the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Bishkek on March 10.

Later, the sport’s international governing body, United World Wrestling, also suspended him, PTI reported.

However, Punia appealed his temporary suspension, claiming that he never refused to provide his samples. He also questioned why the National Anti-Doping Agency sent expired kits for sample collection in December 2023.

On May 31, the agency’s Anti-Doping Disciplinary Board lifted the penalty. be in abeyance Publication of fee notice. The National Anti-Doping Agency subsequently notified the wrestler on June 23.

Punia contested the charge in a written submission on July 11, followed by hearings on September 20 and October 4.

On Tuesday, the Anti-Doping Disciplinary Committee held Punia responsible under Article 10.3.1 of the National Anti-Doping Rules. This provision relates to cases where samples are not sent.

“In the current case, due to the temporary suspension of the athlete, the board decided that the athlete’s 4-year period of deprivation of rights will start from the date of sending the notification, that is, 23.04.2024.” said the order.

The four-year suspension will prevent Punia from returning to competitive wrestling or applying for a coaching job abroad.

According to PTI, Punia, in his written submission against his provisional suspension, had said that the National Anti-Doping Agency’s behavior had created insecurity in the athlete’s mind.

Güreşçi also said that he was “always ready to provide his sample, provided that he first receives a response from NADA (National Anti-Doping Agency) regarding the use of expired kits.”

However, the institution said, “The athlete’s apparent refusal to provide a urine sample for doping testing was intentional and premeditated.”

Following his suspension on Tuesday, Punia claimed that the National Anti-Doping Agency had taken action as he sided with female wrestlers protesting against Singh. “It is clear that the government is involved,” he added.

Punia was at the forefront among many other wrestlers, including Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat. counter protests Singh had been accused of sexually harassing athletes since January 2023.

Phogat and Punia in September attended the congress Ahead of voting for Haryana Assembly elections. Both wrestlers are natives of Haryana.

Responding to Punia’s suspension on Tuesday, Haryana Sports Minister Gaurav Gautam said that the agency operates according to its own rules and “does not act by identifying any particular person”, ANI reported.

He added: “Which direction did the protest (against Singh) take? Everyone saw how he dragged sports into politics.”

The minister added that the Congress was trying to politically weaponize the protests against Singh. “I think there should be no politics in sports,” Gautam said. “It affects both society and athletes.”