Inderjeet Singh requests WADA to provide fair trial on his ban

11/09/2017

Shot putter Inderjeet Singh has requested the World Anti-Doping Agency to give him a fair trial after his proceedings with the National Anti-Doping Agency dragged on for more than a year. Inderjeet was the first Indian Athlete to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics before he was felled by a dope test.

NADA pulled up Inderjeet after two failed tests in June 2016 that led to a provisional suspension and his exclusion from the Indian squad for Rio. The second dope test was conducted by NADA after the shot putter failed the A-sample test on June 22. However, his doping proceedings has since been going at a very slow rate.

The Asian Games medallist wrote in his plea to WADA that the first hearing by the disciplinary panel was held on October 26, 2016, and the process has dragged since. Inderjeet in his representation as quoted by TOI, said, "The athlete has been making repeated requests to NADA to expedite the process with the last communication sent on October 31."

"The notice of the failed test on the sample collected on June 22 was issued only on July 25. Then the first report on the sample taken on June 29 found no banned substance but a second report resulted in a notice of charge almost a month later on August 5."

Inderjeet said NADA has also denied assisting his request to get the B sample of the June 29 test analyzed at another lab. According to sources, the hearing has further delayed after the athlete sought the cross-examination of a doping control officer (DCO) stationed in Hyderabad, who had collected the sample on June 29.

"If this DCO is examined then we can prove that there was a break in the chain of custody of the sample. But it seems he is not working with NADA anymore. In that case, we should get an ex parte verdict from the panel," sources close to the athlete said.

As per the NADA code, the disciplinary panel "shall issue a written decision with its reasoning within 90 days of the constitution of the Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel."

It further adds, "where NADA fails to render a decision with respect to whether an anti-doping violation was committed within a reasonable deadline set by WADA, WADA may elect to appeal to the Court of Arbitration in Sports."

Inderjeet won bronze in 2014 Asian Games, had won gold medals in the Asian championships, Asian Grand Prix and the World University Games in 2015.