Bajrang Punia suspended by wrestling world body

Days after being provisionally suspended by the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA), Indian wrestler Bajrang Punia was handed a suspension from the sports’ world governing body, United World Wrestling (UWW).

The UWW has suspended Punia till the end of this year, which means the ace Indian wrestler will not take part in trials for the Paris Olympics 2024.

The wrestler’s profile on UWW reads that he is suspended until December 31, 2024. “Suspended for the following reason until Dec 31, 2024. Provisionally suspended by NADO IND for alleged ADRV (Anti-Doping Rule Violation),” reads the reason on his profile.

However, the Indian wrestler said he hasn’t received any official communication from UWW on his suspension but his profile on the official website clearly mentions the governing body’s stance.

NADA had earlier provisionally suspended Punia for refusing to undergo a dope test during the national selection trials in March this year. The NADA said Bajrang Punia failed to give his urine sample for a dope test, which resulted in the doping agency taking action against the celebrated wrestler.

However, Punia said he never refused to give his sample but questioned the Dope Control Officer about the use of expired dope kits. The NADA did not seem to buy his explanation and he was served a whereabouts failure notice on April 18 and a provisional suspension order days later.

Later, in what could be an embarrassment for the Sports Authority of India (SAI), the body sanctioned a huge sum of INR 9 lakh to Bajrang Punia, post NADA’s order, for his training schedule. The Mission Olympic Cell (MOC), in a meeting on April 25, two days after NADA suspended Punia, sanctioned INR 8,82,000 to the wrestler by approving his proposal to train in Dagestan, Russia, from May 28.