Defending champ Bhagat suspended, to miss Paralympics

New Delhi, August 13

Pramod Bhagat will not be able to defend his title at the Paris Paralympics after he was handed an 18-month suspension for breaching the Badminton World Federation’s anti-doping whereabouts clause.

“The Badminton World Federation can confirm India’s Tokyo 2020 Paralympic champion Pramod Bhagat has been suspended for a period of 18 months and will miss the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games,” the governing body said in a statement. “On 1 March 2024, the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) Anti-Doping Division found Bhagat in breach of the BWF anti-doping regulations for committing three whereabouts failures within 12 months.”

The 36-year-old said he is saddened by the decision and it was a result of a technical glitch. “It is an extremely hard decision for me. I respect WADA, I understand they are drawing a line for all players, but to ban someone for technical reasons is not right,” Bhagat said.

“It is not like there is any substance issue, it is an issue of whereabouts failure, which I missed the test twice as I was in a different place but I have all the proof of filing the third time. But they didn’t accept my appeal. It is a big loss for me. I was preparing for Paris, it is such a big thing for every athlete. I would have been a medallist. It is heartbreaking,” he added.

Bhagat had appealed this decision to the CAS Appeals Division but it was rejected last month. His suspension is effective till September 1, 2025.

Bhagat had won a gold medal at the Tokyo Paralympics in the men’s singles SL3 category. Bhagat, who had contracted polio, resulting in a disability affecting his left leg at the age of five, is also a two-time Para Asian Games gold medallist and is the current world No. 3 in his category. — PTI

‘India will win more than 25 medals’

jaipur: India is hoping to win more than 25 medals from its largest-ever contingent of 84 athletes at the Paris Paralympic Games beginning on August 28, Paralympic Committee of India chief Devendra Jhajharia said. Jhajharia, himself a double gold medallist at the Paralympics, said the Indian contingent would look the carry the momentum of record-breaking performances in the 2021 Tokyo Paralympics and 2023 Hangzhou Asian Para Games. India had won 19 medals in Tokyo and 111 medals in Hangzhou. India is set to compete in 12 sports. PTI