Wrestler Narsingh Yadav (centre) at the National Anit-Doping Agency headquarters in New Delhi on Wednesday. (Photo: Biplab Banerjee)
With the Narsingh Yadav dope issue getting murkier by the day, the wrestler is expected to learn his Rio Olympics fate on Thursday after the National Anti Doping disciplinary panel adjouned its hearing on the day.
The Nada panel, headed by Retd. judge Manikant Mishra, heard Narsingh’s lawyers’ arguments based around the point that he is a “victim of circumstance”. The panel will hear the arguments of the Nada representatives on Thursday before giving their verdict.
The hearing, which lasted three and a half hours, was held in camera with no media allowed, a rare scenario at Nada proceedings in the last few years.
Narsingh’s counsel Vidushpat Singhania sounded satisfied with the way proceedings went on the day.
“We have full faith in the panel. We are trying to convince them. We are hopeful that we can wrap up things by tomorrow and a decision comes in our favour. The Nada panel was very patient and we had a fair hearing. Nada will present their case tomorrow,” said Singhania.
At 10 minutes to 4pm, Narsingh arrived at the Nada office at the Pragati Vihar Hostel here accompanied by his lawyer and support staff, including his cook for the hearing on the day.
The scene outside the Nada office appeared more like Jantar Mantar in the capital — it was absolute pandemonium with his supporters shouting slogans like Narsingh ko insaaf do...CBI inquiry ho.
As of now, the 26-year-old wrestler’s chances of going to Rio Games seems bleak after the news emerged that he had failed a second dope test conducted by Nada on July 5.
Sources said Narsingh’s ‘A’ and ‘B’ samples tested positive for the same substance — methandienone — for which he is under provisional suspension.
The latest development was not surprising though as methandienone if taken orally, remains in the body for 2 to 4 weeks.
However, it could be noted that the dope tests (June 25 and July 5) were conducted on the wrestler his return from a training stint in Bulgaria.
The earlier test on June 2 was carried out before that tour.
So is there a Bulgaria angle to all this There are possibilities that something might have gone wrong there.
Parveen as stand-by: WFI The Wrestling Federation of India meanwhile named Parveen Rana as a replacement for Narsingh in the Rio squad, a move approved by the sport’s world governing body, United World Wrestling.
“Yes, we have named Rana to replace Narsingh and he had already left for Georgia with other team members. But if Narsingh gets a clean chir from the Nada panel, then he will be our representative in 74kg category at Rio. We have sent Parveen’s name to UWW in order to save the quota place,” a Wrestling Federa-tion of India official told this paper showing support for the tainted wrester.
Meanwhile, Narsingh had identified the person who had spiked his food at the mess in the Sonepat SAI centre, and have made a complaint against junior wrestler Jitesh, who is a trainee at the Chhatrasal Stadium in the capital, at Rai police station in Sonepat.
Narsingh has been accused of taking an anabolic steroid metandienone, and is under provisional suspension.
