Doping row over Narsingh Yadav turns murkier

We are fully behind Narsingh, we believe in his innocence, says WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

July 25, 2016 11:08 pm | Updated November 17, 2021 04:51 am IST - NEW DELHI:

A file photo of Narsingh Yadav (right) at the training camp at the SAI Centre in Sonepat. — Photo: Sandeep Saxena

A file photo of Narsingh Yadav (right) at the training camp at the SAI Centre in Sonepat. — Photo: Sandeep Saxena

The doping controversy around Rio Olympics-bound wrestler Narsingh Yadav is getting murkier.

On Monday, Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh threw his lot behind the beleaguered wrestler, adding to claims of conspiracy and even indicting a senior SAI official.

“We are fully behind Narsingh, we believe in his innocence and we will go to any extent to support him in his fight for justice and try and get him on the plane to Rio,” Mr. Singh said at a hurriedly convened press conference here. He also said there had been attempts to contaminate Narsingh’s food. The wrestler himself has sought a CBI inquiry into the issue, even as his A and B samples have returned positive.

SAI officials have hit back, saying there may or may not be a conspiracy, but that its own staff was above reproach. Sports Minister Vijay Goel too remained non-committal. “The NADA is an autonomous body to promote clean sports and check doping. In Narsingh’s case, we will ensure that the WADA Code is implemented... Both of Narsingh’s A and B samples have tested positive. He has been placed under provisional suspension,” he said, refusing to comment any further.

There were reports of Singh meeting even Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but sources close to the WFI president denied any knowledge of it, saying Singh had only returned from his constituency late on Sunday night. The 26-year old Yadav’s Rio dreams are all but over unless he can prove that there has been sabotage and contamination of his food without his knowledge, thereby proving the conspiracy theory. Under WADA rules, “Where the anti-doping rule violation involves a Specified Substance, and the Athlete or other Person can establish No Significant Fault or Negligence, then the period of Ineligibility shall be, at a minimum, a reprimand and no period of Ineligibility, and at a maximum, two years of Ineligibility, depending on the Athlete’s or other Person’s degree of Fault (Art 10.5..1.1).”

If he fails, a replacement is unlikely under IOC rules (July 18 was the final date and after that, replacements are only allowed for medical causes).

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