Pramod Bhagat's 18-month ban ends Paris Paralympic dream

Pramod Bhagat, the Tokyo gold medallist para shuttler, has been suspended for 18 months due to his failure to provide information about his whereabouts. As a result, he will not be able to participate in the Paris Paralympic Games, as confirmed by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) on Tuesday.

 

"On 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," BWF said in a statement.

 

"Bhagat, an SL3 athlete, appealed this decision to the CAS Appeals Division.

 

"On 29 July 2024, the CAS Appeals Division dismissed 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.

 

Bhagat won a gold medal at the Tokyo Paralympics in the men's singles SL3 category, beating Daniel Bethell of Great Britain in the final.