BWF suspends Paralympic gold medalist Pramod Bhagat for 18 months

New Delhi, Aug 13: The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has handed an 18-month suspension to Pramod Bhagat, India’s gold medalist from the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, for violating anti-doping regulations.

Bhagat, who is from Attabira in Odisha's Bargarh district, will now miss the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. According to a BWF statement, on March 1, 2024, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) Anti-Doping Division found Bhagat guilty of breaching BWF anti-doping rules due to three missed drug tests within a 12-month period.

Bhagat, an SL3 category athlete, appealed the decision to the CAS Appeals Division, which upheld the original ruling on July 29, 2024.

Bhagat secured gold in the men’s singles SL3 category at the Tokyo Paralympics, overcoming Daniel Bethell of Great Britain in a dramatic final with scores of 14-21, 21-15, 21-15 in a match that lasted nearly two hours.

At 35 years old, Bhagat had previously won four singles world titles, with victories in 2015, 2019, and 2022, in addition to a men’s doubles gold medal from 2013. Unfortunately, he will not have the opportunity to defend his titles at the upcoming games.