Popular wrestler Bajrang Punia has been suspended by the National Anti-doping Agency (NADA) for refusing to submit his samples for a doping test. As per reports, the wrestler had not submitted his samples during the national team selection trials in March this year.
The decision has come after NADA had temporarily suspended Punia in April, which eventually led to a suspension by the world governing body UWW.
As per the suspension orders, Bajrang Punia cannot participate in any competitive wrestling for 4 years, and cannot seek coaching abroad either.
Bajrang Punia, who had been associated with the political activities of his relative and Congress party leader Vinesh Phogat, a fellow wrestler, had initially contested the suspension. Hearings on the suspension took place in September and October. NADA’s Anti-Disciplinary Doping Panel (ADDP) finally concluded that Punia’s actions call for a 4-year suspension.
Bajrang Punia had won the bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics.
