Bajrang Punia Faces Suspension Ahead of Olympic Trials

Reported by Harsh Kumar

 

Bajrang Punia, the decorated wrestler and Tokyo Olympics medalist, is currently facing a provisional suspension from the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA). The suspension stems from an incident during the Olympic selection trials held in Sonipat back in March.

 

During the trials, Bajrang faced off against Rohit Kumar but unfortunately lost the match. Following his defeat, Bajrang left the venue abruptly, declining to provide a urine sample for doping testing as requested by NADA officials. Despite their efforts, he did not return for further testing, even missing the opportunity for the third-fourth place bout.

 

This unexpected turn of events has led to Bajrang’s provisional suspension, meaning he is unable to participate in any tournaments or trials until further notice. If the allegations against him are upheld, there is a possibility he may be excluded from upcoming Olympic trials as well.

 

Interestingly, despite his setback in the Indian trials, there is a chance Bajrang may still have an opportunity to compete. He might receive an invitation to the World Qualifiers on May 31st, where he could challenge the winner of the 65kg category. This invitation could be extended due to his impressive performance and medal win at the Tokyo Olympics.

 

Here’s a brief timeline of the controversy:

 

– On March 10th, NADA requested Bajrang to provide a urine sample, which he declined.

– NADA had to inform the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) about Bajrang’s refusal.

– Following discussions between WADA and NADA, WADA instructed NADA to issue a notice to Bajrang, prompting him to explain his refusal.

– On April 23rd, NADA issued a notice to Bajrang, giving him until May 7th to respond.

– As of now, Bajrang has not responded, leading to his provisional suspension.

 

This situation underscores the importance of athletes adhering to anti-doping protocols and the consequences they may face if those protocols are not followed.