NADA suspends Bajrang for 4 years

The National Anti-Doping Agency on Tuesday suspended Bajrang Punia for four years for his refusal to provide his sample for dope test on March 10 during selection trials for the national team.

NADA had first suspended the Tokyo Games bronze medallist wrestler on April 23 for the offence following which the world governing body UWW had also suspended him.

Bajrang had appealed against the provisional suspension and NADA's Anti-Disciplinary Doping Panel had revoked it on May 31. NADA, on June 23, served the notice to the wrestler. Bajrang, who joined Congress along with fellow wrestler Vinesh Phogat and was given charge of All India Kisan Congress, had challenged the charge on July 11 in a written submission following which hearings were held on September 20 and October 4.

The suspension means that Bajrang will not be able to return to competitive wrestling and apply for a coaching job abroad, if he aspires to.

Bajrang has maintained since the beginning that he was given extremely prejudicial and unfair treatment with respect to doping control because of his involvement in the protest against former WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

Bajrang also maintained that he never refused to give sample but only demanded to know NADA's response to his email where he sought answer why expired kits were sent to take his samples in December 2023. — PTI