Tokyo gold medallist Bhagat suspended for 18 months, will miss Paris paralympics

NEW DELHI: The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has announced that Indian para shuttler Pramod Bhagat, the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic gold medallist, has been handed an 18-month suspension for breaching anti-doping regulations. Bhagat, who competes in the SL3 category, will now miss the upcoming Paris 2024 Paralympic Games as a result.

The suspension follows a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) Anti-Doping Division on 1 March 2024, which found Bhagat in violation of BWF’s anti-doping regulations due to three whereabouts failures within a 12-month period. Despite Bhagat’s appeal to the CAS Appeals Division, the decision was upheld on 29 July 2024, confirming his suspension.

This suspension marks a significant setback in Bhagat’s career, as he will be unable to defend his Paralympic title in Paris.