In a shocking turn of events, freestyle wrestler Narsingh Pancham Yadav has tested positive for prohibited substances in a dope test conducted by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA).
The gold medallist from 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games in the 74 kg category had earlier been declared as India’s candidate for the Rio Olympics next month since he had earned the quota, but the latest revelation has put his hopes in jeopardy since, at this moment, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has held him back for disciplinary proceedings instead of following his prior schedule of heading to Georgia with the wrestling contingent for the last preparatory lap for Rio.
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Sources said that two of Narsingh’s samples had returned positive results when NADA conducted their test earlier this month at the Sports Authority of India's (SAI) regional centre in Sonepat. The regulatory body has now confirmed to PTI about the wrestler’s failed dope test.
Yadav, however, has pleaded innocent and reportedly hinted at a conspiracy that could prevent him from boarding the Rio Olympics bandwagon. Given how the run-up to his selection for the Summer Games was marred by controversy, the WFI has urged NADA to look scrupulously into the matter.
It should be noted that this doesn’t imply that Narsingh’s Rio dreams are over. Ace shuttler Ratnachok Intanon from Thailand was cleared of doping by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) even though she had initially been suspended for the same offense.
