Bajrang Punia

Suspended for four years due to his "refusal" to provide sample for dope test, Olympic medallist Indian wrestler Bajrang Punia on Wednesday said it was a vindictive move by the government which would quash the ban if he joins the BJP. NADA said Bajrang violated the rules by refusing to give sample during selection trials for the national team on March 10. The anti-doping body had first suspended the Tokyo Games bronze medallist wrestler on April 23 for the offence following which, the sport's world governing body UWW had also slapped him with a suspension. "It is not shocking because this issue about trial has been going on for last one year. I have said in the past too that I have not refused to give 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," Barjrang told reporters. Punia, along with fellow wrestler and Olympian Vinesh Phogat, have joined the Congress Party earlier

Wrestler Sakshi Malik claims not Congress but two BJP leaders helped wrestlers secure permission to protest against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in Haryana

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought the stand of the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) on a petition by wrestler Bajrang Punia challenging his suspension. Justice Sanjeev Narula issued notice to the agency on the plea which has been filed ahead of the Senior World Wrestling Championships to be held in Albania in October. As the senior counsel appearing for the athlete pressed for an interim relief, the judge remarked that no formal application has been filed for the same. "This is a classic case of hounding someone...World Championship is round the corner. I have to practice," senior advocate Rajiv Dutta said. The court, however, questioned Punia on his refusal to submit a sample for the testing, asking, "how will they let you play if you don't test". Punia's counsel asserted that there were issues concerning the use of an "outdated kit" and he has sought answers from authorities. The counsel for NADA said a disciplinary panel has been constituted, which is looking into the

Ahead of the Senior World Wrestling Championships to be held in Albania in October, wrestler Bajrang Punia has approached the Delhi High Court challenging his suspension by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA). The grappler has claimed that the conduct of the agency is in violation of his fundamental rights to practice a profession and earn a livelihood under the Constitution of India, and that he would be "forced to retire" if the "arbitrary" suspension is not lifted. On June 21, the National Anti-Doping Agency suspended Punia for a second time and issued the formal "notice of charge", rendering him ineligible to train and participate in competitions. The move came three weeks after an Anti-Disciplinary Doping (ADDP) panel had revoked the earlier suspension on the ground that NADA had not issued a "notice of charge" to the wrestler. NADA had first suspended Punia on April 23 for refusal to give his urine sample for a dope test during the selection trials held in Sonepat on March

I feel that in Olympics, wrestling is such sport, in which so many athletes take part and we get so many medals, this time more medals could have come if such atmosphere was not created, Rathore said

The Railways on Monday accepted the resignations of wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, officials said. In separate notices issued on Monday, the Northern Railway said their resignations tendered on September 6 were "accepted by the competent authority with immediate effect." Both Punia and Phogat joined the Congress recently. Phogat has been given a party ticket to contest the Haryana assembly polls from the Julana constituency. The Northern Railway relaxed the provision of three-month notice period in their cases. Speculations were rife that Phogat might not be able to contest the elections in view of the notice period norm. According to election rules, she needed to get officially relieved from the Railways to be eligible to contest the October 5 polls. Now, since the Railways has relieved the two Olympians from their service, Phogat can contest the elections. The NR had earlier issued show cause notices to them after they met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi before joining

The BJP has warned Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh against commenting on Vinesh Phogat and her Congress candidacy, after Singh made controversial remarks about her and Bajrang Punia

Olympic wrestler Bajrang Punia, who joined the Congress, has received a threat message over WhatsApp warning him with dire consequences, police said on Sunday. Punia has filed a complaint at Bahalgarh police station in Sonipat. A police official said they received a complaint from Punia after which they launched an investigation. When asked that some reports say that in the threat message Punia was asked to quit Congress or be prepared to face dire consequences, Bahalgarh police station SHO Madan Singh said over the phone, "The matter is under investigation..." Olympians Punia and Vinesh Phogat entered the political arena on Friday by joining the Congress. The party later fielded Phogat from Julana seat for the Haryana Assembly polls while Punia was appointed as working chairman of All India Kisan Congress. Punia won bronze in the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Polling for 90 seats in Haryana will be held on October 5 and the votes counted on October 8.

The Northern Railway has initiated the process of accepting the resignation of wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, with both players expected to be relieved "as early as possible," railway sources said on Sunday. Both Punia and Phogat recently joined the Congress and the latter has been given a ticket to contest election from Julana assembly constituency in Haryana. "The provision of serving three-month notice period after resigning by a railway employee will not come in the way of relieving these two players as we have decided to relax the norm in their cases," a senior railway official told PTI. Railways sources said both the players "will be relieved possibly today or as early as possible." The Northern Railway (NR) had earlier issued show cause notices to them after they met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to join his party. The NR had said the show cause notice was part of the service norm as they were government employees. Following the notice, both resigned from the ..

Wresters Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia were used by the Congress as "pawns" in their "conspiracy" to take control of the Wrestling Federation of India and attack the BJP, former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh said on Saturday. A day after Olympic medallists Phogat and Punia joined the Congress, the senior BJP leader said here that he had defeated Congress leader Deepender Hooda in the 2012 election for the WFI which is why they nursed a grudge against him. Asked about Phogat and Punia, the two prominent faces of the protest against Singh over charges of sexual harassment, he said, "They were faces... they were mohrey (pawns). They were used by (former Haryana chief minister) Bhupinder Hooda, the Congress and the Congress family like pawns." "This was all conspired to gain hold on the Wrestling Federation of India and to attack the BJP and its ideology...This team of Rahul, the Congress keeps doing this thing," he told PTI Videos. When asked about Vinesh Phogat's assertions t

Phogat and Punia met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence and later joined the party at the AICC headquarters on Friday

Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia will join Congress on Friday, and may announce their possible entry in the Assembly elections. Phogat might contest from Julana and Punia from Badli

Bajrang Punia had once stated that it didn't really matter who was supporting him because as long as his mind was trained to feel undefeated, nothing really could beat him. If the unfazed manner in which he has moved from the wrestling mat to the political cauldron is any indication, this statement seems to have been the guiding principle of his life. Bajrang, a Tokyo Olympics bronze-medallist and among the most decorated names in Indian wrestling, is now set to grapple on the political turf, having joined the Congress party a month before the assembly elections in Haryana amid talk that he would be among the contestants. His name will be among the foremost in the annals of Indian wrestling heavyweights, whose career witnessed several highs on the mat but also turmoil off it. He was the first Indian to be ranked world no.1 in a freestyle weight category and also the first to win four world medals. The 30-year-old Bajrang hasn't officially said that he is giving up the sport but the

Wrestler Vinesh Phogat has submitted her resignation from the Indian Railways and is set to join the Congress party on September 6

Rahul Gandhi met wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat, hinting they might contest on Congress tickets as the party seeks to boost its chances against the BJP

Dronacharya Award-winning trainer says he is confident that India will produce more champions

Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik have accused the Delhi Police of withdrawing security cover of wrestlers set to testify against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh; Delhi Police has denied the allegation

The Delhi High Court on Friday restored the mandate of IOA's ad hoc committee for Wrestling Federation of India on a plea seeking a stay on the functioning of the WFI in its present form and prevent it from undertaking any activity as a national federation for the sport. While passing the interim order on the plea by celebrated wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and her husband Satyawart Kadian, Justice Sachin Datta said it was open to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) re-constituting the committee. The wrestlers, who were at the forefront of last year's protest at Jantar Mantar demanding the arrest of outgoing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for alleged sexual harassment of seven women grapplers, had moved the high court earlier this year for setting aside and declaring as illegal the elections held to elect the office bearers of the federation held in December. Sanjay Singh, a Brij Bhushan loyalist, was elected the new WFI .