Doping ban: Bajrang to attraction towards the decision

Bajrang was banned by the Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel (ADDP) of NADA on Tuesday for refusal to present a pattern in the course of the choice trials in March. The completed wrestler stated on Wednesday that he by no means “refused” to present the pattern and that he was being focused for operating a motion in help of protesting ladies wrestlers and elevating his voice towards NADA for coming with expired kits to gather his pattern on a earlier event.

“I’ll attraction in CAS and I’ll struggle until the tip. I’ve all of the proof,” Punia stated in a video message on social media.

Bajrang may also attraction earlier than the Anti-Doping Attraction Panel. His lawyer Vidushpat Singhania stated they’re weighing all choices. “Bajrang has expressed his need that he desires to attraction towards the choice. We are going to see whether or not we go to CAS or ADAP,” he stated.

The wrestler was one of many faces of the protests towards former Wrestling Federation of India president and BJP chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

“They’re focusing on me. It has been occurring because the protests. They’ve collected my pattern six instances, and despite the fact that I used to be not competing I by no means refused. Is it my fault that I used to be standing with our ladies wrestlers? Once they got here to gather my pattern on December 13 with expired kits, I raised my voice as a result of I had misplaced religion within the system,” he stated.

Bajrang made a video of the expired kits and posted on social media on December 15. “I additionally wrote three-four mails to NADA from December to March asking what motion it had taken relating to this concern. Until date I’ve not been given any reply,” Bajrang stated.

Nonetheless, the occasions that led to his ban occurred on March 10, the day of the choice trials in Sonepat for the Olympic qualifiers.

“They’re saying Bajrang left the venue with out giving dope pattern however I’ve proof (I didn’t depart). They got here to gather my pattern in between my bouts. They didn’t present any ID proof. I had one other bout and in response to rule they can’t come and ask for pattern in between competitors. I advised them you come and discuss to me after my bout. I met the SAI physician on the venue for a medical certificates (damage), handed over it to the coaches after which left the venue. In between, no one from NADA (DCO) got here to me for dope check,” he stated.

Nonetheless, the doping management officer in his supplementary report type dated March 10 has acknowledged that Bajrang, on being notified of the check “started arguing with the NADA officers/chaperones and advised them that he is not going to present any dope pattern until he will get reply of his electronic mail relating to the usage of expired kits.”

The DCO has additional acknowledged that the “athlete was surrounded by his supporters and was constantly repeating his assertion and had instantly left the venue by refusing to present the dope pattern.”

On the difficulty of check kits previous the expiry date, NADA, in its submission earlier than the panel, stated it had instantly taken motion towards the DCO involved when it got here to their data.

“The Athlete is attempting to combine up two completely different dope exams and take profit within the Anti-Doping Rule Violation dedicated by him, by deliberately refusing to the DCO of NADA to submit for pattern assortment on 10.03.2024,” NADA stated on the listening to.

The three-member ADDP underneath the chairmanship of Vineet Dhanda dominated that Bajrang failed to present any “compelling justification for refusing to undergo pattern assortment.”

“…it’s an “undisputed place that Bajrang refused to submit his urine pattern on March 10 on the Nationwide Heart of Excellence (NCOE), Sports activities Authority of India (SAI), Sonepat.” The panel discovered him in violation of Article 2.3 of the Anti-Doping Guidelines 2021 that pertains to “Evading, Refusing or Failing to Undergo Pattern Assortment.”