New Delhi: India’s Olympic medal-winning Wrestler Bajrang Punia said that the 4-year suspension imposed on him by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) would be lifted if he were to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
His statements come as a reaction to the government body’s move to ban him, alleging he did not provide a sample for a dope test.
The suspension means that Bajrang will not be able to return to competitive wrestling or apply for a coaching job abroad, if he aspires to, till April 2028.
The wrestler said that the Olympic medalist would appeal against the ban, at the court of arbitration for sport in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Government taking revenge for protesting with female wrestlers
The wrestler alleged that the government is looking to get back at them for their involvement in the long-drawn sit-in protest against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president and BJP leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
“It is not shocking because this issue about trial has been going on for the past year. I have said in the past too that I have not refused to give the sample to NADA. When they visited my home to conduct the dope test, they came with an expiry kit (in December 2023). I have also posted this on social media,” Bajrang Punia told reporters.
Bajrang added in his defence, “You can’t give expiry kit to any player and as far as I am concerned, my team was there, so they saw it. They came carrying expiry kits dated 2020, 2021, 2022.
“I gave my urine sample but then my team checked the kit and found out that it was expired. So we made a video of the kit mailed to NADA, and called them to inform them about the mistake. But they did not accept their mistake.”
“I also feel that because of our protest in support of the women wrestlers, they are trying to exact revenge because all the agencies fall under the purview of the government.
Punia, along with fellow wrestler and Olympian Vinesh Phogat, joined the Congress Party earlier this year.
“I have been competing for the last 10-12 years and I have given samples during all tournaments, during the India camps. But the government’s motive is to break us and make us bow down to them. If I join the BJP then I think all my bans will be lifted,” Bajrang claimed.
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