Narsingh Yadav’s hopes of participating in the Rio Olympics next month is not entirely over as the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) revealed the names of the two fellow wrestlers who are alleged to have spiked Yadav’s food with banned substance. Furthermore, with Narsingh’s three-and-a-half-hour intense National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) hearing adjourned till Thursday, the wrestler’s camp is hopeful that they can get a positive response to his case by Thursday.
According to sources, Jitesh, who fights in the 75kg category, and Sumit, who competes in the 120kg category, were said to have spiked Narsingh’s food samples at the Sonepat SAI centre. “We suspect Jitesh, who fights in the 75kg category, and Sumit. Both of them live in Chhatarsaal. And one of them has admitted to spiking Narsingh’s food. I can’t comment on the conspiracy and can’t say whether they did this on their own or on someone’s instruction. We cannot investigate this but we support Narsingh’s demand for a CBI enquiry,” said WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Narsingh, who was selected ahead of Sushil Kumar in the 74kg category, had filed an FIR at the Sonepat Police Station and persisted with his demand for a CBI probe. “I have always maintained that there has been a conspiracy against me. If I am cleared of the charges, I will go to Rio. I have identified the boy who was seen contaminating my food. I have given a detailed complaint to the police,” Narsingh.
Narsingh’s world came crashing down last Sunday when it was revealed that the wrestler from Uttar Pradesh failed a dope test. It is learnt that Narsingh, already under provisional suspension for failing a June 25 dope test, has also flunked the second test done on both his A and B samples taken on July 5.
His chances became even slimmer on Monday, when the WFI named Pravenn Rana for the replacement slot in order to preserve the country’s Olympic quota in the74kg category. However, the WFI president said Rana’s name was sent on July 25 only because it was the last date for naming replacements to secure the Olympic quota.
“Rana’s name was sent to secure country’s Olympic quota and the proposal was accepted on July 26. If we wouldn’t have recommended Rana’s name, we would have missed our quota,” Singh said.
Even though WFI have not ruled out Narsingh’s participation, Brij Bhushan said it is now up to the wrestler to prove his innocence in the NADA hearing. “His road to the Olympics has not completely ended. Now, it’s up to Yadav to prove his innocence. Once given clean cheat, he will go for the Olympics,” he said.
In Wednesday’s hearing here, Yadav’s lawyers put forth their argument in front of the NADA panel and remained hopeful that the wrestler will clear his case still in time to travel to Rio.
“We have put Narsingh’s argument. We have full faith in the NADA panel. We are trying to convince them. We are hopeful he will be exonerated. NADA panel is helpful. We have presented our argument today and panel was very patient and we had a very fair hearing. NADA will present their case tomorrow,” Narsingh’s lawyer Vidushpat Singhania.
After announcing that the hearing has been adjourned to Thursday evening 4pm, Narsingh’s promoters JSW Sports’ MD Mustafa Ghouse also sounded confident of getting a positive outcome from Thursday’s hearing.
“The NADA panel has completed the hearing, the decision will be taken tomorrow. Nothing has been decided. It has been adjourned till tomorrow. We are very confident. There will be another discussion at 4pm tomorrow,” added his promoters JSW Sports’ MD Mustafa Ghouse.