Olympic medal-winning wrestler Bajrang Punia was suspended on Sunday by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) for an anti-doping rule violation.
NADA’s Disciplinary Panel (ADDP) had earlier revoked the provisional suspension imposed on Punia until the agency issued a Notice of Charge to the wrestler. However, NADA issued a fresh notice to Punia, and the suspension has been reinstated.
Punia was handed the provisional suspension on April 23 after he refused to give his urine sample to NADA during the selection trials for the men’s national team for the Asian Qualifiers in Sonepat on March 10.
After losing the previous encounter, Bajrang refused to compete in the third-place bout and walked off the venue without informing the NADA officials.
His lawyer, Vidush Singhania, pleaded Punia not guilty of any wrongdoing and intends to contest the charge as they did before. The wrestler has been given time until July 11 to respond to the notice and challenge the alleged anti-doping rule violation.
Punia, along with other top wrestlers, including Olympians Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat, spearheaded the protest against former BJP MP and president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, accusing him of sexual harassment.
Punia missed the spot for the Paris Olympics after failing to win in the national selection trials. Consequently, India will have only one male wrestler, Aman Sehrawat (57kg), competing in the Olympic Games.