A day after the National Anti-Doping Agency revealed that Satnam Singh Bhamara had failed a dope test, the basketball player’s representatives put out a statement that he was going to contest the results.
“Mr Bhamara had received a notice from NADA dated 11/11/2019 stating that Mr Bhamara has failed a doping test for a prohibited substance. Mr Bhamara is disputing the said charge and has requested a hearing before the NADA Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel (ADDP) in order to put forth his case,” said the statement.
“Mr Bhamara wishes to clarify that the reports in the media about Mr Bhamara being provisionally suspended by NADA are misleading and it is Mr Bhamara who has voluntarily accepted the provisional suspension vide his communications to NADA...Mr Bhamara is hopeful that his case is adjudicated upon and dispensed with by ADDP within a period of ninety days from the date of conclusion of the result management process, as is mandated under the NADA Anti-Doping Rules, 2015. Mr Bhamara would like to state that he was and remains a clean competitor and has always played basketball fairly.”
Satnam tested positive for Higenamine, a beta 2 agonist — a specified substance. His voluntary acceptance might have a bearing on the final outcome.