After successfully fighting a long legal battle with Olympian Sushil Kumar for a spot in the 74kg category for the Rio Olympics, wrestler Narsingh Yadav’s world came crashing down on Sunday after he failed a dope test conducted by NADA almost dashing his hopes of flying to Rio. But Narsingh claimed the entire scandal was a conspiracy against him.
After being tested positive for a banned substance, reportedly methandienone — an anabolic steroid, at a random dope test conducted on him at the SAI centre at Sonepat on July 5, Yadav appeared before a National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) disciplinary panel on Saturday. Narsingh’s ‘B’ sample was opened in his presence and found positive for the banned substance, NADA Director General Navin Agarwal said.
With less than 10 days left to the Big Games in Rio, the possibility of the Uttar Pradesh wrestler to prove his innocence in time to make the Rio cut looks very slim though he now awaits another hearing in the case before the NADA disciplinary panel on Wednesday.
“Yes, he (Narsingh) tested positive for a banned steroid. His B sample was also found to be positive. Narsingh was personally present when his B sample was opened,” Agarwal said.
Asked if Narsingh will miss the Rio Olympics, Agarwal said, “It is too early to comment in that regard. The panel has sought for more reports regarding the matter. We will proceed further and I am hoping that the panel will proceed quickly. Till then we will have to wait.”
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has stopped Narsingh from travelling with the other men’s freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestlers to Georgia on July 25 for training. Yadav’s Olympics accreditation card has also been recalled.
The Sports Ministry too issued a statement confirming a failed dope test by a wrestler, but did not mention Narsingh’s name in it.
“One wrestler has been detected by National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) as dope positive. An Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel (ADDP) has been constituted by NADA under its rules for hearing the case. Its first hearing was held on Saturday in which the wrestler was given an opportunity to defend himself. After the hearing, the panel has asked NADA for some further reports. After these reports are received, the panel would hold further hearing in the matter,” the statement said.
No wrestling federation official refused to comment on the issue and whether Sushil Kumar would be a possible candidate to replace Narsingh at the Olympics.
On his part, Narsingh told the NADA disciplinary panel on Saturday that the entire scandal was a conspiracy against him.
In a statement issued by him on Sunday, 26-year-old Narsingh pleaded innocence and said he has always been a clean wrestler.
“I have been a professional freestyle wrestler for over 15 years and I have undergone almost 25-30 dope tests. I have come out clean every time and never have any of my samples returned positive results,” he said. “I have undergone three tests in the last one month and a half. I appeared for a dope test on June 2 before leaving for a training camp in Bulgaria. I was again tested on my return on June 25 and once again on July 5.”
He added, “I believe that there is foul play involved in this entire episode. Someone has sabotaged my food supplements and water intake. I take pride in the fact that I have competed in every competition, international and domestic, in an honest, fair and transparent manner and I will continue to do so. I am a responsible athlete with an understanding of the country’s expectations and hopes on me. I would never dream of betraying that hope.”
Narsingh, who won the 74kg Olympic quota berth with a World Championships bronze medal last year, was selected for Rio in controversial circumstances after double Olympic-medalist Sushil Kumar’s demands for fair trials for the single berth were rejected both by the WFI and the Delhi High Court.
Sushil is yet to make a formal statement on the matter but in an interesting tweet after the controversy broke out, he said, “Respect is to be earned not demanded,” without specifying what he was referring to.
However, his coach Satpal Singh, termed the doping episode a ‘black mark’ on wrestling in India and said Sushil has been training and is completely fit. “He (Sushil) has been training regularly even after the court’s decision. He spends most of the time in the ring (akhada). If the WFI and the Government ask for Sushil (to fill the spot), we will decide on it after considering all the circumstances,” he said.
It is not yet clear whether Sushil will be called in to fill the slot if Narsingh misses out though Indian Olympic Association Secretary General Rajeev Mehta reportedly ruled out the possibility of Sushil benefiting from the episode saying that the last date for sending Olympic entries, July 18, is well behind them now. “As far as Sushil Kumar is concerned, I think there is practically no chance for him (to replace Narsingh). Everything is closed as far as entry of athletes is concerned,” he told PTI.
Another official, however, said on condition of anonymity that possibilities are all open but await a confirmation of the international body. Even though the deadline for sending the final entries list is over on July 18, there is still a possibility to replace an athlete afterwards the deadline.