New Delhi: The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) suspended Olympic medallist wrestler Bajrang Punia for failing to comply with the anti-doping norms. Late on Tuesday, NADA issued a statement confirming the suspension of the Indian wrestler, who had bagged a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, under Article 10.3.1 with an ineligibility for a period of 4 years.
Earlier on April 23, NADA had provisionally suspended Punia for the offence, following which the world governing body UWW also imposed a suspension on the Indian wrestler. The suspension comes as a big blow for Punia as he can neither participate in the competitive wrestling for four years nor apply for any coaching job abroad even if he aspires to.
Why did NADA suspend Punia?
The anti-doping agency handed over the 4-year suspension to Bajrang Punia after he refused to provide his urine sample during the selection trials in March this year. Punia initially refused to comply and then contested the charge expressing concerns over the expired testing kits previously used by NADA but they upheld the ban.
After being provisionally suspended, the wrestler had appealed against it and NADA’s anti-disciplinary doping panel revoked it in May till the agency issued the notice of charge to the accused wrestler. A month later in June, NADA served the notice to the wrestler. Punia, who joined Congress along with fellow wrestler Vinesh Phogat and was given charge of All India Kisan Congress, had challenged the charge in July in a written submission following which hearings were held on September 20 and October 4 and a final decision was pronounced by NADA on November 26.
Punia, who was at the forefront of protests against former Indian wrestling body chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, has maintained his innocence saying that he did not refuse to comply but just challenged the expired testing kits being used by the agency. Apart from the bronze medal won at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Punia is the only Indian wrestler to win four medals at the World Wrestling Championships.
The National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) suspended Olympic medallist wrestler Bajrang Punia for four years. Punia had bagged a bronze medal at the Tokyo Games. Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
