National Anti-Doping Agency issues
The National Anti-Doping Agency on Wednesday sent a notice to wrestler Vinesh Phogat for failure to provide information about her place of residence and sought her reply within 14 days. All players registered in NADA’s registered testing pool are required to inform about their availability for dope testing and Vinesh is also included in these players. If the player is not available at the location he has provided information, it is considered a failure to provide whereabouts information. (National Anti-Doping Agency issues)
In its notice, NADA told wrestler-turned-politician Vinesh that she had made a mistake in not disclosing information about her place of residence as she was not available for the dope test at her home in Kharkhoda village of Sonipat on September 9. Vinesh had announced her retirement from the sport after the disappointment of not getting a medal due to being overweight despite making the final at the Paris Olympics.(National Anti-Doping Agency issues)
Vinesh and her fellow wrestler Bajrang Punia recently joined the Congress party and are contesting the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections from Julana constituency. These days he is busy campaigning in Julana constituency.(National Anti-Doping Agency issues)
“You are issued a formal notice informing you of your apparent failure to comply with the residence information requirements under the Anti-Doping Rules,” NADA’s notice said. You are asked to clarify this before taking a final decision on this matter.(National Anti-Doping Agency issues)
“A Dope Control Officer (DCO) was sent to the venue that day to test you but was unable to do so as you were not present at the venue,” it said.
Vinesh will have to either admit the violation or provide evidence that she was present at that place for approximately 60 minutes. But it may be mentioned here that accommodation-related failure is not an anti-doping rule violation. NADA can only charge an athlete if he violates venue information rules three times in 12 months.
