Bajrang Punia stopped using his social media handles and asked fans to keep showing him support as he gets battled ready for the Games
The Wrestling Federation of India is likely to pardon temporarily suspended Babita Kumari for forfeiting her bout in a recent qualifying event and allow her to compete at the Rio Games, as she secured an Olympic berth after her rival failed a dope test.
Left red-faced by the four-year ban imposed on Narsingh Yadav by the Court of Arbitration (CAS), the Wrestling Federation of India has demanded a CBI probe into the doping scandal that has jeopardised the grappler's entire career.
A police team on Thursday visited the Sports Authority of India (SAI) centre here to hold investigations in the wake of Dope scandal allegedly involving embattled Narsingh Yadav ahead of his proposed Olympic run. "A police team had questioned the witnesses, coaches, wardens in view of FIR registered on the complaint of Narsingh Yadav," Crime Investigation Department (CIA) officer Indervir, who had been appointed to probe the matter said. "We are taking statements from witnesses, wardens, coaches and also taken in possession few utensils," he said.
While Tomar informed only about Pakistan's participation, the PTI has learnt that clearance has been put on hold also for wrestlers from Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) said that the CBI has started its probe into the doping scandal of dope-tainted wrestler Narsingh Yadav after the PMO referred his case to the investigation agency.
'Today we will write to the government of India to find a solution to the matter. Wrestling and wrestlers can't suffer. We are drafting a letter to urge the government to ensure that sport does not suffer'
Narsingh Yadav's chances of representing India at the upcoming Olympics might have diminished further after a second failed dope test but the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) is still hopeful of a favourable verdict by the NADA panel, saying that his lawyers, on Wednesday, presented a strong case.
India's chef-de-mission at the Games, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, said in Jakarta that the athletes will be updated on the safety status of their families after seeking the home ministry's assistance.
In a shocking turn of events, 25 out of the 45 women grapplers, who train at the SAI centre in Lucknow, reported absent from the national camp without taking permission from the National Federation.
Jitender lost 1-3 to Kaisanov in the summit clash at the KD Jadhav Indoor Stadium.
With the Delhi high court on Tuesday directing Wrestling Federation of India to hold a meeting with Sushil Kumar, the decorated grappler's hopes of competing at the Olympics seems almost over as the Federation is not keen on conducting a trial in the contentious men's 74kg category.
Phogat sisters will have to explain their absence for any chance of a comeback, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) said
The alleged conspiracy in the Narsingh Yadav dope scandal began to unravel, on Wednesday, with the wrestler identifying two fellow grapplers as the saboteurs, who contaminated his food with a banned steroid, in a formal police complaint.
"We can't be overwhelmed by defeats or victories. It won't lead you anywhere," Sushil added.
Banned for four years and disgraced after being eliminated from the Olympics Village, dope-tainted wrestler Narsingh Yadav vowed to take his battle to the Prime Minister's Office. His dream of representing the country in the Games shattered after he was slapped with a four-year ban by Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) for flunking a dope test after WADA challenged the clean chit given to him by NADA, a devastated Narsingh Yadav said that he will fight till the end. "Meri toh naam badnam hui, isse pura desh pe kala dhabba lag gaya hai (My name has been tarnished, not just me, this ban is a blot on India). Chahe mujhe phaasi ho jaye, mein iski chhanbin karwaoonga, din-raat ek kar doonga (Let me be hanged, I will take this to higher courts and will leave no stone unturned)," the 74kg freestyle wrestler told PTI.
A relieved Narsingh Yadav has said he is eager to go to the Olympics now and win a medal for the country.
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), on Thursday, denied sending any list of Olympic probables, sans Sushil Kumar, to the Indian Olympic Association, insisting that the two-time medallist is not yet out of contention for the Rio Games.
The consistent attacks from both the wrestlers in the fast-paced final bout had the fans on the edge of their seats as close to 1500 gathered at IGI stadium to watch their favourite star in action.
Defectors getting tickets is causing tremendous heartburn in the BJP, says Aditi Phadnis
Using a sledgehammer to fix some ills can cut down a game at its peak, warns Shekhar Gupta.
Deputy Chef de Mission Balbir Singh Kushwaha said that facilities at the Games Village were good.
The Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh blamed the organisers for the country's dismal show at the World Championships, saying the lack of facilities in Paris resulted in wrestlers losing out on 15 days of training ahead of the mega-event.
Treasury and opposition members nearly came to blows in Lok Sabha on Friday when Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan condemned in "no uncertain words" the "outlandish" remarks made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
A top official from the national federation of a prominent Olympic sport asked if Batra would deem the competition good enough if shooting is brought back into the CWG fold.
Narsingh Yadav's chances of making it to the Olympics will be known on Thursday. The National Anti-Doping Agency's disciplinary panel adjourned its hearing on the dope scandal surrounding the wrestler on Wednesday evening, even as he failed a second dope test and lodged a police complaint against two fellow-grapplers.
Wrestling Federation of India, on Friday, conceded that it was not being able to convince the Court of Arbitration for Sports' panel that grappler Narsingh Yadav was a victim of conspiracy and sabotage, and that was why he lost the case and was ejected from the Rio Olympics with a four-year ban.
The suspense over wrestler Narsingh Yadav's participation in the Rio Olympic Games was prolonged further after the National Anti-Doping Agency deferred its final verdict on the doping scandal to Monday.
Dope-tainted Narsingh Yadav admitted that his career would be over if the four-year ban imposed on him by the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) is not reviewed and said that the country should take up his case as India lost out on an Olympic medal in wrestling.
Sushil Kumar's fight for an Olympic berth suffered another blow with the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) strongly hinting that they would prefer Narsingh Yadav for the Rio event by insisting on not having a trial given the quota winner's "consistent performances". Following the Delhi High Court directive, a special WFI committee, formed on the instruction of the court, held a meeting with the two-time Olympic medallist, to sort out as to who between Sushil and Narsingh would represent India in the men's 74kg freestyle category at the mega-event in August. "Sushil has put forward his views before the committee and has maintained what he has been saying since the very beginning that he should get a chance to undergo a trial," WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh told reporters in New Delhi. "We have told him that 'you have put Indian wrestling at a pedestal and we cannot ignore your contribution and we all respect you'. But on the other hand, there is another wrestler who has brought the Olympic quota and also has been giving consistent performances. So, can we be unfair to him also?" Brij Bhushan added.
His chances of a third successive Olympic appearance hanging in balance, two-time medallist Sushil Kumar will not hesitate in going to Court if his demand for a trial against Narsingh Yadav is not accepted by the Wrestling Federation of India.
During a felicitation function of World Championships medal-winning wrestlers by Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju in New Delhi on Monday, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Brij Bhushan Sharan mooted the idea of making wrestling the national sport, which received the backing of double Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar.
Refusing to budge from its stance, the Wrestling Federation of India floated a new theory on Tuesday, alleging that some junior officials of the Sports Authority of India and National Anti Doping Agency are responsible for Narsingh Yadav being handed a four-year ban for doping.
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