• Wrestler Bajrang Punia, the Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist, was handed provisional suspension by National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) and asked to send his reply by May 7 to avoid further disciplinary action.

• He has been handed provisional suspension for refusing to give his sample for dope test during recent trials.

• Meanwhile, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) is planning to write to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on the matter.

National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA)

• The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) was set up in India as a registered society under the Societies Registration Act of 1890 on November 24, 2005 with a mandate for dope-free sports in India. 

• The objectives are to implement anti-doping rules as per WADA code, regulate dope control programme, to promote education and research and creating awareness about doping and its ill-effects.

• NADA collaborates with WADA and other national anti-doping organisations to strengthen clean sporting practices, contribute to evolving the guidelines and ensure athletes can compete on a level playing field across the world.

• It works in close collaboration with the sport ecosystem to create a dope-free sporting environment in the country.

The primary functions of NADA are:

i) Implement the Anti-Doping Code to achieve compliance by all sports organisations in the country.

ii) Coordinate dope testing programme through all participating stakeholders.

iii) Promote anti-doping research and education to inculcate the value of dope-free sports.

iv) Adopt best practice standards and quality systems to enable effective implementation and continual improvement of the programme.

What is WADA?

• The World Anti-Doping Agency was established in 1999 as an international independent agency composed and funded equally by the sport movement and governments of the world. 

• Its key activities include scientific research, education, development of anti-doping capacities and monitoring of the World Anti-Doping Code (Code) — the document harmonising anti-doping policies in all sports and all countries.

• The organisation’s headquarters is in Montreal, Canada.

• WADA is composed of a foundation board, an executive committee and several committees.

• The 42-member foundation board is WADA’s supreme decision-making body. It is composed equally of representatives from the Olympic Movement and governments.

• The foundation board delegates the actual management and running of the agency, including the performance of activities and the administration of assets, to the executive committee, WADA’s ultimate policy-making body.

• The 12-member executive committee is also composed equally of representatives from the Olympic Movement and governments.

• WADA’s presidency — a volunteer position — alternates between the Olympic Movement and governments.

• WADA’s committees act as advisory committees and provide guidance for the agency’s programmes.

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