Vinesh Phogat Misses Dope Test, NADA Serves Whereabouts Failure Notice
On Wednesday, the National Doping Agency (NDA) served a notice to the wrestler-turned-politician Vinesh Phogat for whereabouts failure and sought an explanation within 14 days.
All the athletes registered with NDA’s Registered Testing Pool (RTP), of which Vinesh is a part are required to provide details about their availability for dope tests.
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If the athletes fill out the details and are not available at the location at the given time, then they are considered a whereabouts failure.
Vinesh Phogat announced her retirement in August after her disqualification from the Paris Olympics. She, in her post on X had expressed her lack of strength to continue.
The NADA issued a notice stating that Vinesh has apparently committed a whereabouts failure as she was not available for a dope test on September 9 at her house in Kharkhoda village in Sonepat.
“You are hereby given a formal notice to notify you about apparent failure to comply with the whereabouts requirements of the ADR, and to invite you to make any comments before we come to a final decision on the matter,” the NADA notice read.
“A Dope Control Officer (DCO) was sent to test you on that dav at that time and place. However, he was unable to locate you for testing as you were not available at the given location.”
Meanwhile, Vinesh and fellow wrestler Bajrang Punia have joined the Congress party. Vinesh is contesting the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections from the Julana constituency.
She has been busy campaigning in the Julana constituency lately.
Vinesh will now have to either accept her failure or will have to provide evidence that she was present in the location for about 60 minutes.
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As per the rule, the player’s whereabouts failure will not constitute any doping rule violation. NADA will only charge an athlete if there are three whereabouts failures (whether filling failures or missed tests) within a 12-month period.
