CHENNAI: Wrestler Bajrang Punia has approached the Delhi High Court to quash the National Anti-Doping Agency’s notice of charge and provisional suspension dated 21.06.2024 for apparent ‘refusal’ to give urine samples during the selection trials organised by the now defunct ad-hoc committee at Sonepat in March.
He has approached the Delhi High Court for an urgent hearing on the ground that he would be seeking participation at the World Championships in Albania next month.
Vidushpat Singhania, who is representing Bajrang, said that they were requesting the Delhi High Court to quash the NADA provisional suspension order and also sought an enquiry into the use of expired kits for sample collection last year.
“Another point is why NADA has not filed its response to Bajrang's explanation since 11 July 2024 and not given a hearing to Bajrang,” asked the lawyer.
The lawyer said that the wrestler would be seeking to participate at the World Championships hence the request for an urgent hearing. The wrestler has termed the suspension arbitrary.
“…the Respondent (NADA) again sought to arbitrarily charge the athlete with an anti-doping rule violation by serving a Notice of Charge dated 21.06.2024 and provisionally suspended him for the second time…”
Interestingly, the petitioner pointed out that a notification dated 23.04.2024 that suspended him for an alleged apparent anti-doping rule violation for refusing to submit to sample collection during the Wrestling Selection Trials was revoked by a NADA hearing panel on the ground that formal notice of charge was not filed.
The NADA in June filed the formal Notice of Charge and said: you are formally charged with the following ADRV (anti-doping rule violation): Article 2.3 (evading, refusing or failing to submit sample collection by an athlete.)
The lawyer also said that the wrestler requested for an early hearing after the June provisional suspension but there was no reply from NADA’s part.
The Tokyo 2020 Olympic bronze medallist, who recently joined Congress, levelled serious allegations of negligent and illegal conduct against NADA. The application pointed out the use of an expired kit to collect urine samples on 13.12.2023 and sought an enquiry into it.
The petition also highlighted another notice the wrestler received but this time for an alleged missed test.
The NADA "seemingly in a bid to harass the Petitioner, issued a notice, negligently alleging the commission of an apparent anti-doping rule violation under 2.4 of the NADR for three (3) whereabouts failure by the Petitioner within 12 months". This was later withdrawn after the petitioner sought explanations.
However, what seemed interesting in the whole application is the intention to compete at the next month’s World Championships. As has been the norm, the competitions are held only in non-Olympic weight categories during the Olympic year and Bajrang usually competes in 65kg, an Olympic weight category.
The decorated wrestler last competed in an international event during the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China in October 2023 wherein he lost the bronze medal bout. He then took part in the March selection trials.
The trials were held to select the team for the Olympic Games Qualifiers. It needs to be seen how the Wrestling Federation of India reacts to the development.
"We will organise selection trials to pick the team for the World Championships. Dates have not been finalised but it can be organised in the first half of the next month. Criteria to compete in the trials will be out soon. The WFI had organised nationals in Pune while the ad-hoc committee held it in Jaipur. Medallists from those nationals apart from Federation Cup and U-23 nationals podium finishers may gain eligibility for the trials. A final criteria will be drafted keeping recent events in mind," a WFI official told TNIE. Notably, Bajrang had not competed in any of these events.
The application says, “The Senior World Wrestling Championships shall be held in Tirana, Albania, from 28th to 31st October 2024. However, the provisional suspension imposed by the Respondent shall prevent the Petitioner from competing in the said event, owing to which the Petitioner shall be forced to retire from the sport of wrestling.”
