New Delhi: The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) has suspended wrestler Bajrang Punia indefinitely. This could jeopardise his bid to compete in the Paris Olympics later this year. Punia failed to provide his urine sample for the selection trials at Sonepat on March 10, NDTV reported quoting sources. As a result, NADA issued an order suspending him from participation in any future events. “With subject to paragraph 4:1:2 below and in accordance with article 7.4 of the NADR 2021, Bajrang Punia has been immediately provisionally suspended from participation in any competition or activity prior to the final decision reached at a hearing in this matter,” read an official release from NADA dated April 23.
Notably, Punia was at the forefront of protests along with a line of other top wrestlers, including Olympians Sakshi Malik and Vinesh; against former BJP MP and president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, accusing him of sexual harassment.
Punia, who won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, is likely to be barred from participating in the selection trials that are scheduled for later this month. No Indian has yet won an Olympic quota in the 65kg category.
Sujeet Kalkal will represent India at the World Qualifiers in Istanbul on May 9, the report added.
The suspension notice was addressed to the Wrestling Federation of India’s (WFI) now-defunct ad hoc committee.
