Punia provisionally suspended, WFI to approach WADA over alleged NADA secrecy

Bajrang Punia has been handed a provisional suspension for refusing to give his sample for dope test during recent trials and the Wrestling Federation of India WFI is furious that NADA kept it in dark on the development and is planning to write to World AntiDoping Agency WADA on the matterBajrang was handed a provisional suspension on April 23 by National Anti Doping Agency NADA and asked to send his reply by May 7 to avoid further disciplinary actionThe trials to pick the mens national team for the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Bishkek were held in Sonepat on March 10 and Bajrang had walked off the venue without providing his urine sample after losing his boutReacting to his suspension Bajrang said he never refused to provide his sample to NADA officialsI want to clarify that I never refused to give my sample to NADA officials I requested them to first answer me as to what action they took on the expired kit they brought to take my sample and then take my dope test Bajrang wrote on X My lawyer Vidush Singhania will reply to this letter he wrote furtherIf Bajrang fails to come out clean with his reply he will be out of the race for Paris Olympic QualificationAlso Read SAI to Bajrang Punia Attend Worlds trials or give fitness certificateMeanwhile WFI President Sanjay Singh expressed his surprise that NADA did not inform them about the suspensionIts really surprising that NADA did not keep us in loop while suspending Bajrang I had a meeting with NADA DG and other officials on April 25 and this matter was not raised in that meeting Sanjay told PTIThey keep communicating with us on matters such as whereabout clause requirements long list for Paris Olympics and so on Even we had a discussion about the recent Federation Cup where they sent officials to collect samples from the winners But they did not let us know about this suspension of Bajrang Punia I called NADA officials this morning and they had no answer to my query Now I plan to write to NADA and also inform WADA about this he saidIt was reported that Vinesh Phogat had also initially refused to provide her sample after she won the womens 50kg trials in PatialaWe were not informed by anyone whose samples were taken after trials in Sonepat and Patiala and what came out of those samples Just imagine if Bajrang had come to compete in the Federation Cup We would have allowed him because we had no clue that he had been suspended the WFI chief addedMeanwhile Bhupender Singh Bajwa who was the head of the dissolved adhoc panel told PTI they also have no communication regarding the suspension of Bajrang the Tokyo Games bronze medallistI have got the mail checked We have no such communication We got a mail on April 18 about a warning to Bajrang but the April 23 communication is not with us I dont know to which email ID they sent it Bajwa saidThe World Qualifiers in Turkey from May 9 is the last chance for Indian wrestlers to lock quotas for the Summer OlympicsSo far four Indian women wrestlers have qualified for the biggest sporting event Vinesh Phogat 50kg Antim Panghal 53kg Anshu Malik 57kg and Reetika Hooda 76kgWith agency inputs