CWG gold-lifter Punam suspended for indiscipline

Vinayak Padmadeo

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 3

Commonwealth gold medallist Punam Yadav has been provisionally suspended by the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF) for indiscipline, and barred from attending the national camp at the Netaji Subhash National Institute of Sports in Patiala.

Punam, who won gold in the 69kg weight category at last month’s Gold Coast CWG, had left the camp twice without permission.

The suspension notice was issued on April 26, 2018; but before that, she was given a show-cause notice on April 18 for leaving the camp “despite being categorically told not to leave the camp to keep in line with the discipline and decorum of the national camp.”

Punam’s suspension has cast doubts over her selection for the Asian Games, to be held in Jakarta-Palembang from August 18.

IWF officials said it would not be easy to fill Punam’s position in the 69kg category. “She has worked hard in training in the last three-four years, but if she continues to miss the camp, it will be very difficult for her to make a comeback,” IWF secretary general Sahdev Yadav told The Tribune.

Indiscipline

In the suspension letter, IWF strongly reprimanded Punam for breaching the federation’s code of ethics and conduct.

“You have repeatedly created indiscipline in the ongoing national camp by ignoring the guidelines of Indian Weightlifting Federation and violation code of ethics and code of conduct of Indian Weightlifting Federation for the second time within a span of 15 days which is not acceptable, and hence you are provisionally suspended from joining the national coaching camp till the period the reply to the show cause notice dated 18th April  is received by the federation and settled for leaving the national camp on your own,” Yadav wrote in the suspension letter.

‘Dope test’

“It is further submitted that in order to rejoin the national coaching camp at SAI, NSNIS, Patiala you have to undergo dope test at National Anti-Doping Agency, New Delhi under your own arrangements and expenses,” the letter added.

IWF warned Punam that missing the camp was also a contravention of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s whereabouts clause.

“It was further noticed that there is an infringement of whereabouts information clause of International Weightlifting Federation and World Anti-Doping Agency as you have also not submitted your exact whereabouts of the leave period which will be treated as missed whereabouts by the ADAMS,” Yadav’s letter added.

Despite repeated attempts, Punam was unavailable for comment. 

Action was initiated against Punam after national coach Vijay Sharma complained to IWF that she had left the camp without permission.