The Narsingh Yadav saga refuses to come to a close. After two days of arguments, three days of hearing both parties, including last-minute witnesses, and a fourth day of a marathon six-hour meeting on Saturday, the NADA Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel (ADDP) deferred its decision on the matter till Monday.
“There are lots of documents to go through for the ADDP, that’s why it is taking so much time. The Panel is looking at every single document and evidence very carefully.
“No decision could be taken today [Saturday] since the panel is still waiting for some records and documents. A decision will now be taken by 4 p.m. on Monday,” NADA director-general Navin Aggarwal said on Saturday night.
The lawyers had earlier expressed hope that a verdict was expected on Saturday or Monday but Aggarwal had announced early on Saturday morning that the judgement would come later in the day.
However, unlike the previous days, there were no slogan-shouting supporters even as Narsingh himself looked anxious, as did his lawyer Vidushpat Singhania. The defendant and his lawyers left, apparently for dinner, before Aggarwal called it a day.
No clarity
Sources said while there was no clarity on the exact reasons for the delay, the ADDP was sympathetic to the 26-year-old’s predicament, but wanted concrete proof to give him any benefit of doubt.
However, Narsingh’s lawyers had admitted on day one itself that while they would stick to the conspiracy theory, they did not have any supporting evidence to establish the same. The evidence of last-minute witnesses on Friday night has already added another twist to the entire issue.
The WFI has also admitted Narsingh’s chances of going to Rio were over. In which case, the stretching of the case makes no difference to the wrestler’s immediate prospects. Narsingh had tested positive for anabolic steroid Methandienone in two consecutive tests in a period of 10 days.
