Bajrang Punia Provisionally Suspended By NADA For Refusing To Give Sample For Dope Test

Bajrang Punia took to social media to react to the provisional suspension.

Bajrang Punia, India's Olympic medal winning-wrestler, has received a provisional suspension for refusing to give his sample for dope test during the recent trials. The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) is not pleased with the fact that the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) did not inform them of Punia's refusal to give his same. A report carried by news agency PTI which confirmed the development, further said that the WFI is mulling to write to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on the issue.

Notably, Punia received a suspensuon on April 23 by NADA and has been asked by the body to send an official reply by May 7 to avoid any disciplinary action against him. As far as the trials for the men's national team for the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Bishkek are concerned, they were held in Sonepart on March 10. It was here that Bajrang walked off without providing his urine sample after a bout which he lost.

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Bajrang took to social media to react to the suspension and said that he never refused to provide his sample to the NADA officials in the first place.

"I want to clarify that I never refused to give my sample to NADA officials. I requested them to first answer me as to what action they took on the expired kit they brought to take my sample and then take my dope test," Bajrang wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

"My lawyer Vidush Singhania will reply to this letter," he wrote further.

Bajrang Punia Could Be Out Of Race For Paris Olympic Qualification

In case, Bajrang does not manage to prove his innocence, he could be out of the race for Paris Olympic Qualification. Meanwhile, WFI President Sanjay Singh expressed his surprise that NADA did not inform them about the suspension of the wrestler.

"It's really surprising that NADA did not keep us in loop while suspending Bajrang. I had a meeting with NADA DG and other officials on April 25 and this matter was not raised in that meeting," Sanjay told PTI.

"They keep communicating with us on matters such as whereabout clause requirements, long list (for Paris Olympics) and so on. Even we had a discussion about the recent Federation Cup, where they sent officials to collect samples from the winners.

"But they did not let us know about this suspension of Bajrang Punia. I called NADA officials this morning and they had no answer to my query. Now, I plan to write to NADA and also inform WADA about this," he said.

Earlier there were reports which suggested that Vinesh Phogat had also initially refused her sample. The allegation had come after her win in the women's 50kg trials in Patiala.

"We were not informed by anyone whose samples were taken after trials (in Sonepat and Patiala) and what came out of those samples. Just imagine if Bajrang had come to compete in the Federation Cup. We would have allowed him because we had no clue that he had been suspended," the WFI chief added.

Vinesh Phogat (50kg), Antim Panghal (53kg), Anshu Malik (57kg) and Reetika Hooda (76kg) are the four women wrestlers that have already sealed a place for themselves at Paris 2024 Olympic Games.