New Delhi. The Disciplinary Panel (ADDP) of the National Anti-Doping Agency has lifted the temporary suspension imposed on wrestler Bajrang Punia till NADA gives him a notice of the charge. Punia had refused to give a sample for the dope test after the selection trial in March. On April 23, NADA had banned Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Punia till April 23. After this, United World Wrestling also took the same action.
The selection trials for the men’s team for the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Bishkek were held in Sonipat on March 10 and Bajrang left the venue without giving a urine sample after losing. He did not even participate in the third and fourth place matches. Bajrang had challenged the temporary suspension through his lawyer. He reiterated in his reply to the ADDP that he had never refused to give a sample but he wanted to know why NADA did not answer his question as to why an ‘expired kit’ was sent to collect his sample in December 2023.
The ADDP said in its order, “The Hearing Panel is of the opinion that at this stage when the notice of charge is yet to be issued to the athlete and without considering the merits of the explanation/justification given by the athlete for refusing to give the sample and without responding to the arguments of the counsel appearing for NADA, the provisional suspension of the athlete is revoked till the time NADA decides to issue a notice of formal charge to the athlete for violation of Anti-Doping Rules, 2021.”