Bajrang Punia banned for 4 years: Full timeline of events

Bajrang Punia, the bronze medalist from the Tokyo Olympics, has been banned for four years by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA). The suspension follows his refusal to submit a sample for a doping test during the national team selection trials on March 10. This led to a provisional suspension by NADA on April 23, which was later endorsed by the World Wrestling Federation (UWW).

As a result, Bajrang is now ineligible for competitive wrestling and will also be barred from seeking coaching opportunities abroad.

Initially, Bajrang contested the suspension, and on May 31, NADA’s Anti-Disciplinary Doping Panel (ADDP) temporarily lifted the suspension until formal charges were issued. However, after receiving the formal charge notification on June 23, Bajrang, along with fellow wrestler Vinesh Phogat, challenged the charges further, aligning himself with the Congress party.

The ADDP held hearings on September 20 and October 4. The panel ultimately concluded that Bajrang violated doping rules under Article 10.3.1, resulting in a four-year ban. The period of ineligibility began on April 23, 2024, and Bajrang’s earlier suspension lifting period from May 31 to June 21, 2024, won’t count towards the total ban.

Bajrang’s Defense

Bajrang has consistently claimed unfair treatment due to his protests against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. He argued that he never outright refused a sample but had concerns about the expired testing kits used in December 2023.

In his defense, Bajrang expressed mistrust in NADA, claiming that past incidents, where his concerns were ignored, eroded his confidence in the process. He maintained that he was always willing to cooperate but wanted clarity on the testing kits.

However, NADA disagreed, stating that Bajrang’s refusal was deliberate. They accused him of disregarding his responsibilities under the Anti-Doping Rules and stated that his actions were intentional. The suspension will now stand, preventing him from competing or coaching internationally for the next four years.