Bajrang Punia Suspended: NADA Imposes Four-Year Ban for Violation of Anti-Doping Code

The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) has suspended wrestler Bajrang Punia for four years after he refused to provide a sample for a dope test during national team selection trials on March 10. The Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist was initially suspended by NADA on April 23, prompting the world governing body, United World Wrestling (UWW), to impose its own suspension.

Bajrang Punia had appealed against the provisional suspension, leading NADA’s Anti-Disciplinary Doping Panel (ADDP) to revoke it on May 31, pending the issuance of a notice of charge by NADA. Subsequently, NADA served the notice to the wrestler on June 23. Bajrang, who recently joined the Congress along with fellow wrestler Vinesh Phogat and was appointed in charge of the All India Kisan Congress, challenged the charge in a written submission on July 11. Hearings on the matter were held on September 20 and October 4.

The Panel holds that the Athlete is liable for sanctions under Article 10.3.1 and liable for ineligibility for a period of 4 years," the ADDP said in its order. The suspension bars Bajrang Punia from returning to competitive wrestling and prevents him from applying for a coaching position abroad, should he aspire to do so.

"In the present case, since the Athlete had been provisionally suspended, the Panel accordingly holds that the Athlete’s period of his ineligibility for the period of 4 years shall commence from the date on which the notification was sent, i.e., 23.04.2024. "Needless to say that on account of the lifting of the provisional suspension for the period from 31.05.2024 to 21.06.2024 shall not be credited into the total period of ineligibility of four years."

Bajrang Punia has consistently claimed that he faced prejudicial and unfair treatment in doping control due to his involvement in protests against former WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. He also stated that he never refused to provide a sample but had sought clarification from NADA regarding their response to his email, questioning why expired kits were sent for sample collection in December 2023.