Pramod Bhagat Faces 18-Month Suspension, Missing Paris 2024 Paralympics
New Delhi: Indian para-badminton star Pramod Bhagat, a gold medallist at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, has been handed an 18-month suspension by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). This ruling will prevent Bhagat from competing at the upcoming Paris 2024 Paralympics. The suspension follows a breach of anti-doping regulations due to three whereabouts failures recorded within a 12-month period.
On March 1, 2024, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) Anti-Doping Division determined that Bhagat had violated the BWF’s anti-doping rules. His appeal against this decision was subsequently rejected by the CAS Appeals Division on July 29, 2024. The suspension will remain in effect until September 1, 2025.
Bhagat, a 36-year-old SL3 athlete, achieved significant milestones in his career, including winning a gold medal in the men’s singles SL3 category at Tokyo 2020. He had also matched Lin Dan’s record by securing his fifth World Championships title in February 2023. The current suspension represents a major setback for Bhagat, who was a strong contender for medals at the Paris Paralympics.
Despite this disappointment, Indian para-badminton head coach Gaurav Khanna expressed hope for Bhagat’s future. Khanna acknowledged the setback but remained optimistic that Bhagat will return stronger and continue to make significant contributions to the sport.
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