Indian wrestler and Olympic bronze medalist Bajrang Punia, known for his protests against sports authorities last year, has been banned for four years for missing a doping test.
The 30-year-old Tokyo Olympic bronze winner was provisionally suspended in March for not providing a urine sample to officials from India’s National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA).
Contesting the Ban
Initially, Punia fought the charges, and the suspension was temporarily lifted. However, NADA confirmed on Tuesday that the ban was officially reinstated. Punia defended himself, claiming he never refused testing. Instead, he raised concerns about the testing kit being expired, which made him cautious.
Protests and Political Turn
Punia was a leading figure in a high-profile protest last year in New Delhi. The protest was against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the former chief of the Wrestling Federation of India and a lawmaker from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party. Singh faces allegations of sexually harassing female athletes, which he denies.
Punia has suggested that his testing ban is a form of retaliation for his role in these protests. Along with fellow wrestler and Olympian Vinesh Phogat, Punia has since joined the opposition Congress Party.
India’s Doping Record
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) reported that India had the highest number of doping violations globally in 2022, surpassing countries like China, the USA, and Russia. India recorded over 100 positive tests, more than any other nation, despite fewer overall tests being conducted.
