UWW suspends Bajrang Punia for refusing drug sample to NADA | More sports news

NEW DELHI: Bajrang Punia’s wrestling career received a new blow as it was announced on Thursday that the Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist has been suspended by the United World Wrestling (UWW) till December 31, 2024 for refusing to to submit his urine sample for drug testing during the selection process for Olympic qualifiers in early March.

UWW, the sport’s global governing body, recently updated the details of wrestlers registered with it and Bajrang’s profile read “suspended” as he failed to hand over his sample to dope control officers of the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) in Sonepat on March 10 had.

“Provisionally suspended by NADA IND for alleged anti-doping rule violation (ADRV). Suspended until December 31, 2024 for the following reason,” Bajrang’s profile reads.

Bajrang has already been provisionally suspended by NADA since April 23 after he was served with the ADRV notice, and the UWW’s decision came after it was informed of it by the country’s anti-doping watchdog. Nada had asked the wrestler to respond by May 7 to his notice, which had already been filed by his lawyer Vidushpat Singhania.

In his reply, Singhania claimed that expired kits were brought by DCOs for sample collection and that Bajrang never refused to hand over his sample to the Nada officials. “Yes, we have submitted our response to Nada. We have explained the entire situation,” Singhania told TOI.

The matter will now be heard by Nada’s Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel (ADDP) and the panel will decide whether to exonerate or ban Bajrang after hearing from Bajrang and Nada’s lawyers.

UWW’s suspension is another setback for Bajrang, who is already struggling to get his wrestling career back on track after taking part in protests against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh , who was accused of sexually harassing six female wrestlers.

With Nada’s interim suspension jeopardizing his hopes in Paris, UWW’s latest suspension could well end his wrestling journey. As UWW is a signatory to the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada), Bajrang’s suspension will remain in effect until ADDP’s hearing on the matter is completed and he receives relief.