Kolkata : National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) has issued legal notice to Indian Wrestler Vinesh Phogat for missing her Anti Doping Test or ‘Whereabouts Failure’ on September 9.
What is Whereabouts Failure?
All the athletes registered with NADA’s Registered Testing Pool (RTP), of which Vinesh is a part, are required to provide details about their availability for dope tests.
If they fill the details and are found not available on that location at that given time, it is considered a ‘whereabouts failure’.
Why Vinesh Phogat received Whereabouts Failure Notice?
The NADA, in its notice, conveyed her that she had 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.”
Vinesh needs to either accept the failure or provide evidence that she was present in that location for about 60 minutes.
However, as per rules, 1 whereabouts failure does not constitute an anti-doping rule violation.
There must be 3 whereabouts failures (whether filing failures or missed tests) within a 12-month period for NADA to charge an athlete.
Vinesh Phogat had a dream Paris Olympics 2024 campaign, reaching the final in dominant style, until she was eliminated from the competition for being “overweight” by 100 grams.
She retired soon after the Olympics stating lack of strength to continue and joined political party Congress. Since then she has been campaigning for them.
