NADA suspends Bajrang Punia again and charges him with

The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) suspended Bajrang Punia for the second time on June 23, three weeks after the ADDP lifted his suspension on the grounds that NADA had not served a “charge” on the wrestler.

The NADA suspended the bronze medalist at the Olympic Games in Tokyo and wrestler on April 23 because he refused to provide a urine sample for a doping test during the selection tests that took place in Sonepat on March 10. The world association UWW also suspended him.

Bajrang had appealed against the provisional suspension and the NADA Anti-Disciplinary Doping Panel (ADDP) lifted it on May 31, pending NADA’s announcement of charges.

The NADA took action and handed the notice to the wrestler on Sunday.

“This serves as formal notification that you are accused of violating Article 2.3 of the 2021 National Anti-Doping Rules and are now provisionally suspended,” NADA said in its message to Bajrang.

Bajrang has until July 11 to request a hearing or accept the charges.

The elite wrestler has stressed that he never refused to provide a sample, but merely asked for NADA’s response to his email in which he wanted an answer as to why he was sent expired kits to collect his samples in December 2023.

The NADA also explained the reason for its action: “The supervisor/DCO had approached you properly and informed you that you had to provide a urine sample for doping analysis.”

“Even after several requests from the DCO, you refused to submit your urine sample on the grounds that you would not submit the sample unless NADA responds to your email regarding the expired kits used by the concerned DCO who had come to collect the athlete’s sample for doping test about two months ago. Following your refusal to undergo sample collection, the DCO of NADA also explained to you in detail the consequences and results as per NADR 2021.

“Despite all efforts by the DCO, you refused to submit to sample collection.” NADA made it clear that there was a violation of the anti-doping regulations (ADRV). It will “seek the disqualification of the results of the event at which the ADRV occurred, as well as the commission of the ADRV with all resulting consequences, including the loss of all medals, points and prizes.”

NADA may also, at its sole discretion, decide to recover from Bajrang the financial costs associated with the ADRV and/or impose a fine in accordance with NADR 2021.