Para shuttler Bhagat suspended for 18 months, to miss Paris Paralympics
New Delhi (PTI): Tokyo gold medallist para shuttler Pramod Bhagat will not be able to defend his title at the Paris Paralympics after he was handed a 18-month suspension for breaching BWF's anti-doping whereabout clause, leaving the Indian heartbroken.
"The Badminton World Federation can confirm India’s Tokyo 2020 Paralympic champion Pramod Bhagat has been suspended for a period of 18 months and will miss the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games,” the governing body said in a statement on Tuesday.
"In 1 March 2024, the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) Anti-Doping Division found Bhagat in breach of the BWF anti-doping regulations for committing three whereabouts failures within 12 months."
The 36-year-old, an SL3 athlete, said he is saddended by the decision and it was a result of a technical glitch.
"It is an extremely hard decision for me. I respect WADA, I understand they are drawing a line for all players, but to ban someone for technical reasons is not right," Bhagat told PTI.
"It is not like there is any substance issue, it is a issue of whereabouts failure, which I missed the test twice as I was in a different place but I have all the proof of filing the third time. But they didn't accept my appeal.
"It is a big loss for me. I was preparing for Paris, it is such a big thing for every athlete. I would have been a medallist. It is heartbreaking," Bhagat added.
Bhagat had appealed this decision to the CAS Appeals Division but it was rejected last month.
"On 29 July 2024, the CAS Appeals Division dismissed the Bhagat’s appeal and confirmed the CAS Anti-Doping Division decision of 1 March 2024. His period of ineligibility is now in effect," the statement added.
His suspension is effective till September 1, 2025.
"My team and I have been proactive in appealing this decision, citing the technical issues that led to these failures. Unfortunately, despite our efforts, we have not been able to resolve this matter before the upcoming games.
"We respect the decision of the authorities and will abide by it, but this has been a challenging and emotional time for me as an athlete who has always competed with integrity."
Bhagat had won a gold medal at the Tokyo Paralympics in men's singles SL3 category, beating Daniel Bethell of Great Britain in the final.
The 36-year-old Bihar-born shuttler had equalled the legendary Lin Dan of China by winning a fifth World Championships title in February last year at Pattaya, Thailand.
"It is extremely sad and unfortunate. He was a sure shot medal for India at the Paralympics but he is a fighter and I am sure he will come back stronger," Indian para-badminton head coach Gaurav Khanna told PTI.
Bhagat, who had contracted polio, resulting in a disability affecting his left leg at the age of five, is also a two-time Asian Games gold-medallist and is the current world No 3 in his category.
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Sanjay Raut demands re-election, alleges irregularities in EVMs during Maharashtra polls
Mumbai, Nov 25: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday demanded a re-election in Maharashtra using ballot papers, claiming there were irregularities with the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Talking to reporters, Raut alleged several complaints about EVMs malfunctioning and questioned the integrity of the recently held elections.
The BJP-led Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the assembly elections, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi managed 46 seats, with Shiv Sena (UBT) winning just 20 out of 95 seats it contested.
"We have received nearly 450 complaints regarding EVMs. Despite raising objections repeatedly, no action has been taken on these issues. How can we say these elections were conducted fairly? Hence, I demand that the results be set aside and elections be held again using ballot papers," Raut said.
Citing some instances, he said a candidate in Nashik reportedly received only four votes despite having 65 votes from his family, while in Dombivli, discrepancies were found in EVM tallies, and election officials refused to acknowledge the objections.
The Sena (UBT) leader also questioned the credibility of the landslide victories of some candidates, saying, "What revolutionary work have they done to receive more than 1.5 lakh votes? Even leaders who recently switched parties have become MLAs. This raises suspicions. For the first time, a senior leader like Sharad Pawar has expressed doubts about EVMs, which cannot be ignored."
Asked about the MVA's poor performance in the elections, Raut rejected the idea of blaming a single individual.
"We fought as a united MVA. Even a leader like Sharad Pawar, who commands immense respect in Maharashtra, faced defeat. This shows that we need to analyse the reasons behind the failure. One of the reasons is EVM irregularities and the misuse of the system, unconstitutional practices, and even judicial decisions left unresolved by Justice Chandrachud," he said.
Raut stressed that though internal differences might have existed within the MVA, the failure was collective.
He also accused the Mahayuti of conducting the elections in an unfair manner.
"I cannot call the elections fair given the numerous reports of discrepancies in EVMs, mismatched numbers, and vote irregularities across the state," Raut said.
