New Delhi, July 28 (IANS) Wrestler Narsingh Yadav's ordeal just got longer as the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) on Thursday postponed the verdict over his dope case by a couple of days.
The NADA panel will now announce its verdict on Saturday or Monday.
While Narsingh and his battery of lawyers had put forward his arguments on Wednesday, the legal representive of the national anti-doping body said on Thursday that the star wrestler has not been able to convincingly prove his claims that his food had been spiked.
"Argument by NADA was that Narsingh is not eligible for remission which he has been asking," NADA lawyer Gaurang Kanth told the media at the end of Thursday's hearing.
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"How the substance entered Narsingh's body could not be well established by them. We have stated that the plea taken by him that he is under no fault and he had been negligent (at the SAI training centre in Sonipat) is not correct and that will not hold any ground," he added.
"The quantum of punishment can be four years, or it can be reduced to two years. Depends on when the judgement will be coming out."
A desolate Narsingh, meanwhile, is still hopeful of representing the country at the Rio Olympics, which are scheduled to run from August 5 to 21.
"I am continuing my practice. I am hopeful of going to Rio. Hopefully everything will be clear by Saturday of Monday," he told reporters.
--IANS
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