WFI to approach WADA after NADA keeps it in ‘dark’

Meanwhile WFI President Sanjay Singh expressed his surprise that NADA did not inform them about the suspension.

“It’s 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 said.

“They 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 said.

It was reported that Vinesh Phogat had also initially refused to provide her sample after she won the women’s 50kg trials in Patiala.

“We 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 added.

Meanwhile, Bhupender Singh Bajwa, who was the head of the dissolved ad-hoc panel, said they also have no communication regarding the suspension of Bajrang, the Tokyo Games bronze medallist.

“I 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 don’t know to which email ID they sent it,” Bajwa said.

The World Qualifiers in Turkey from May 9 is the last chance for Indian wrestlers to lock quotas for the Summer Olympics.