INDIAN WRESTLER 'BAJRANG PUNIA' HAS BEEN SUSPENDED FOR FOUR YEARS BY THE NATIONAL ANTI-DOPING AGENCY. (PHOTO)

 Indian wrestler and Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Bajrang Punia has been suspended for four years by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA).

 The suspension comes after Bajrang refused to provide a doping sample during the national team selection trials on March 10, 2024. This decision follows an initial provisional suspension on April 23, which was later upheld by NADA’s Anti-Disciplinary Doping Panel (ADDP) after a series of hearings.

The panel found Bajrang guilty under Article 10.3.1 of the Anti-Doping Rules and ruled that his four-year ineligibility would begin from April 23, 2024, the date of the initial suspension notification. The panel also clarified that a brief period when the provisional suspension was lifted, from May 31 to June 21, would not count toward the four years. This ban means Bajrang cannot compete in wrestling or take up international coaching opportunities during the suspension period.

Bajrang has contested the charges, claiming he faced unfair treatment by NADA, particularly regarding expired testing kits sent for his samples in December 2023. He insisted he never refused to provide a sample but instead sought clarification from NADA due to his mistrust of their procedures. Bajrang linked his situation to his protests against former Wrestling Federation of India President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, suggesting the doping charges were an act of retaliation.

NADA, however, defended its actions, stating that their officials followed proper procedures and that Bajrang’s refusal to provide a sample was deliberate. The agency emphasized that Bajrang failed to meet his responsibilities as an athlete under the Anti-Doping Rules. Despite his arguments, the ADDP ruled that Bajrang’s actions violated anti-doping regulations, leading to the four-year ban, marking a significant setback in his wrestling career.