Olympic medalist Indian wrestler Bajrang Punia, suspended for four years for refusing to provide his sample for dope test, on Wednesday said it is a retaliatory move by the government and the ban will be lifted if he joins the BJP.
NADA said Bajrang violated rules by refusing to give his sample during the selection trials for the national team on March 10. The anti-doping body first suspended the Tokyo Olympics bronze medal-winning wrestler for this violation on April 23. After which the world governing body of the sport, UWW, also suspended him.
Bajrang told reporters, “This is not shocking because this trial case has been going on for the last one year. I have said earlier also that I have not refused to give the sample to NADA. When they came to my house for dope test, they brought an ‘expiry kit’ (in December 2023). I have also posted it on social media. ,
Poonia and her fellow wrestler Olympian Vinesh Phogat had joined the Congress party earlier this year. Bajrang said in his defence, “You cannot give ‘expiry kit’ to any player. As far as I am concerned, my team was there so they saw it. They had brought ‘expiry kits’ for 2020, 2021, 2022. ,
“I had given my urine sample but then my team checked the kit and found that it was expired,” he said. So we made a video of the kit and we mailed it to NADA. But he did not accept his mistake.
The wrestler alleged that the government wants to take revenge on former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president and BJP leader Brij Bhushan for his involvement in the long-running protest against Sharan Singh. “I also feel that because of our protests in support of women wrestlers, they are trying to take revenge because all the agencies come under the jurisdiction of the government,” she said. ,
“I have been competing for the last 10-12 years and I have given samples during all the tournaments and camps in India,” Poonia claimed. But the aim of the government is to break us and make us bow before them. If I join BJP I think all restrictions will be lifted. ,
This suspension means that Bajrang will not be able to return to competitive wrestling until April 22, 2028. Apart from this, if he wants to apply for a coaching job abroad, he will not be able to do so.