Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, June 1: World Para Athletics said that Indian para-athlete Vinod Kumar has been banned for two years for intentionally misrepresenting his abilities in classification at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. The 41-year-old will be ineligible to compete in para athletics until August 2023, according to the Board of Appeal of Classification (BAC), an independent agency.
“The athlete was observed performing several movements and functions in competition which were not consistent with his performance during the physical and technical aspects of classification,” World Para Athletics said in a statement.
According to media reports, Kumar finished third in a discus event in Tokyo, but the result was challenged by fellow competitors, and his throw was declared worthless.
According to the reports, he competed in the F52 discus, a competition in which athletes compete in a wheelchair or a throwing chair due to inferior muscle power, restricted range of motion, limb deficit, or leg length difference.
“The classification system is crucial to ensure fair competition and this case shows how committed World Para Athletics is to protect the integrity of the sport,” said Christian Holtz, Managing Director of World Para Sports.
