Bajrang Punia after NADA suspension: ‘The government is trying to break us, if I join the BJP my bans will be lifted’

Not one to back down whether on or away from the wrestling mat, India’s Olympic bronze medalist wrestler Bajrang Punia has termed his four-year suspension for alleged doping violation as a vindictive move by the government; If he joins the BJP, he will be banned.

The wrestler alleged that the government wanted to take revenge on them for participating in the long-running sit-in protest against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, a BJP politician. “I also feel like they are trying to take revenge because all the institutions came under government control because of our protest in support of female wrestlers.

“I have been competing for the last 10-12 years and have set an example in all tournaments and Indian camps. But the government’s aim is to break us, to make us bow down to them. If I join the BJP, then I think,” Bajrang said, “All my bans will be lifted.”

Suspension, Bajrang I can’t return to competitive wrestling or, if he wishes, he can apply for a coaching position abroad until April 22, 2028.

NADA said Bajrang violated rules by refusing to provide samples during the selection trials for the national team on March 10.

The anti-doping agency first suspended the Tokyo Games bronze medalist wrestler for his offense on April 23, and the UWW, the sport’s world governing body, also suspended him.

Bajrang defends its stance and claims NADA is using expired kits

Bajrang defended his stance of not giving samples, claiming that NADA had approached him with an expired kit. All he wanted was an explanation and a clean testing procedure.

“It is not shocking because this trial issue has been going on for the last year. I have said in the past that I did not refuse to give samples to NADA. They came when they visited my home to do the dope test. With the kit with an expiration date (in December 2023), I also shared this on social media ” he said. Bajrang, along with fellow wrestler and Olympian Vinesh Phogat, joined the Congress Party earlier this year.

In his defence, Bajrang said, “You cannot give expired kits to any player and as far as I am concerned, my team was there, so they saw it. They came with expiry kits dated 2020, 2021, 2022.” I took a urine sample, but then my team checked the kit and found it was expired. So we took a video of the kit and emailed NADA and called them to inform them about the error. But they did not admit their mistakes.”