New Delhi: India have lost one Paris Olympics 2024 boxing quota after the World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA) provisionally suspended Parveen Hooda for whereabouts failures, sources told IANS.
Woman boxer Hooda was set to represent the country in the quadrennial event in the 57kg category. As per the sources, the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) will send Hooda's potential replacement to the qualifiers next month to earn a quota back.
"India lost the Olympic quota as boxer Parveen Hooda was provisionally suspended by WADA (failure to inform about her whereabouts). Now, BFI will send another boxer in 57 kg to the qualifier next month," sources told IANS on Friday.
According to WADA rules, athletes have to disclose their home address, training information and location, competition schedule and regular personal activities to an anti-doping agency, which can conduct surprise visits and tests out of competition. Failure to do so, or even submitting incomplete details, could lead to a suspension of up to two years.
"In boxing, the quota is of the player, so now that she is suspended, another boxer will be sent to qualifiers," the source added.
It has been reported that Hooda accumulated three whereabouts failures between April 2022 and March 2023. Athletes in the Registered Testing Pool (RTP) must submit quarterly whereabouts updates.
Hooda was among the four female boxers, who have qualified for the Paris Olympics along with Nikhat Zareen (flyweight), Preeti Sai Pawar (bantamweight) and Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain (middleweight).
