Pramod Bhagat Suspended for 18 Months, to Miss Paris Paralympics

Indian para shuttler Pramod Bhagat will not defend his Tokyo gold medal at the Paris Paralympics due to an 18-month suspension for breaching BWF's anti-doping whereabouts clause. His suspension, effective until September 1, 2025, results from a CAS ruling confirming multiple whereabouts failures within a year.

Tokyo gold medallist and Indian para shuttler Pramod Bhagat will not be able to defend his title at the Paris Paralympics. He faces an 18-month suspension for breaching the BWF's anti-doping whereabouts clause.

The Badminton World Federation confirmed that India's Tokyo 2020 Paralympic champion, Pramod Bhagat, has been suspended for 18 months, causing him to miss the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. The suspension follows the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) Anti-Doping Division's decision, which found Bhagat guilty of committing three whereabouts failures within 12 months.

The 36-year-old athlete appealed the decision but was rejected by the CAS Appeals Division. His suspension remains effective until September 1, 2025. Bhagat, who won gold at the Tokyo Paralympics in the men's singles SL3 category, is also a two-time Asian Games gold medallist and currently ranks third globally in his category.