As announced on Tuesday, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) has suspended Tokyo 2020 Paralympic gold medallist and para-badminton star Pramod Bhagat for 18 months for violating anti-doping regulations.
In a statement, the BWF confirmed that Bhagat, who won gold in the SL3 category at the Tokyo Paralympics, will be ineligible to participate in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games due to the suspension.
The suspension stems from a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) Anti-Doping Division, which found Bhagat guilty of committing three whereabouts failures within a 12-month period.
The decision, originally issued on 1 March 2024, was appealed by Bhagat to the CAS Appeals Division.
However, on 29 July 2024, the appeals division upheld the original ruling, finalizing Bhagat’s suspension.
The BWF’s statement clarified, “The CAS Appeals Division has dismissed Pramod Bhagat’s appeal, affirming the CAS Anti-Doping Division’s March 1, 2024, decision. His period of ineligibility is now in force.”
This suspension comes just months after Bhagat secured his third consecutive gold medal at the BWF Para-Badminton World Championships 2024 in Thailand, making him the first para-athlete to achieve such a feat in the championships.
His victory also matched the legendary Chinese shuttler Lin Dan’s record of five world championship titles.
Bhagat’s illustrious career includes a total of 14 medals at the BWF Para-Badminton World Championships: six gold, three silver, and five bronze.
His impressive run at the international level has solidified his position as one of India’s most successful para-athletes.
However, this suspension marks a significant setback in Bhagat’s career, preventing him from competing in the upcoming Paralympic Games and casting a shadow over his recent achievements.
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