The man who could have possibly 'spiked' wrestler Narsingh Yadav's food supplements has been identified.
While handing down a four-year ban on Narsingh Yadav, the Court of Arbitration for Sports has ruled that the wrestler failed to produce any 'real evidence' regarding the sabotage theory he had advanced and the balance of probabilities was that he orally took the banned substance intentionally in tablet form on more than one occasion.
Former Commonwealth Games gold-medallist Narsingh Pancham Yadav was elected chairman of the Wrestling Federation of India's Athletes' Commission in Varanasi on Wednesday, completing a process that was mandated by the sport's world governing body.
'My roommate and training partner Sandeep (Yadav) has also tested positive, which has confirmed my suspicion.' 'Should I train or keep a tab of my water bottle?' 'Just tell me, who is going to benefit from this?'
India are grappling with a dilemma over who to select between the logical candidate or a sentimental favourite as the country's representative in men's 74kg freestyle wrestling at the Rio Olympics. Since winning India's quota place by capturing a bronze medal at last year's World Championship in Las Vegas, Narsingh Yadav had more or less taken his ticket to Brazil for granted. With the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) also backing the 26-year-old, it seemed his place was certain until double Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar approached the Delhi High Court on Monday demanding a match between the pair to determine who should compete in Rio. "As asked by the court, we heard Sushil and noted his point. We'd submit our observations and will wait for the court's instruction," WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar told Reuters on Thursday.
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.
Indian wrestler Narsingh Yadav has been banned for four years by the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) following an appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Earlier this month, a few wrestlers including Deepak Punia had tested positive for coronavirus. The wrestlers had reported to the National Wrestling Camp at SAI Centre in Sonepat and when tested upon arrival, they returned positive.
Indian wrestler Narsingh Yadav has no further hurdle in his path for his 74kg freestyle bout on August 19 as his coach said he would not have to appear for any reinstatement test.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a case in the doping scandal involving international wrestler Narsingh Yadav, who was barred from participating in the Rio Olympics after banned substances were found in his urine samples.
Two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar has said the dope scandal surrounding fellow wrestler Narsingh Yadav, who was picked ahead of him for the Rio Olympics, is "unfortunate".
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) of India has replaced Narsingh Yadav with Praveen Rana in the 74kg category of wrestling for Rio Olympics.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday assured wrestler Narsingh Yadav that his government will request the centre to order CBI probe into the doping scandal, which has led to the grappler being handed a four-year ban.
'WADA had never intervened in Narsingh's matter and no clearance is required.'
All three are asymptomatic and have been moved to Sonepat's Bhagwan Mahavir Das Hospital as a precautionary measure.
Raising doubts on the possibility of foul play in the Narsingh Yadav doping scandal, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis hinted the wrestler may have been 'tricked or framed', while asking the Union Sports Minister to look into the case.
Olympic medal winning wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt joined the chorus of support for Narsingh Yadav, caught in a dope scandal, saying that the matter should be investigated thoroughly.
Sports Minister Vijay Goel on Tuesday said that the government will provide all support to help dope-cleared wrestler Narsingh Yadav represent the country at the forthcoming 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
His dream of representing the country in Rio Olympics shattered after a verdict of the CAS, a devastated Narsingh Yadav, on Friday, said that he will do everything to prove his innocence.
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.
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.
With Narsingh Yadav's roommate Sandeep Yadav at the Sports Authority of India Sonepat camp also testing positive for the same banned substance, Wrestling Federation of India said that it strengthens the conspiracy theory and indicates at a clear case of sabotage.
The Wrestling Federation of India, on Monday, threw its weight behind Narsingh Yadav, whose Olympic participation is in serious doubt after a failed dope test, saying the grappler is a victim of conspiracy.
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.
Ace wrestler Sushil Kumar's coach Satpal Singh made a complete U-turn on his stance against Narsingh Yadav after the latter was cleared of dope charges by WADA on Monday. Senior coach Satpal, who had launched a stinging attack on Narsingh after he had tested positive for banned substances, said that he is extremely happy for the wrestler and is expecting a gold medal from him.
Dejected by the four-year ban imposed on Narsingh Yadav by CAS, the Indian Olympic Association has said that the embattled wrestler has been 'defeated by compatriots' rather than opponents.
Wreslter Narsingh Yadav's chances of participating in the Rio Games have been boosted after the United World Wrestling, gave him a clean chit.
The Indian Olympics Association (IOA), on Thursday, said that it will not object to wrestler Narsingh Yadav replacing Praveen Rana in the Rio Olympics if he is cleared by NADA in an ongoing dope scandal.
Narsingh Yadav's hopes of competing in the Rio Olympics appeared bleak after he failed a second dope test, which was conducted on his samples on July 5.
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.
Union Sports Minister Vijay Goel on Wednesday said that doors are almost shut for dope-tainted wrestler Narsingh Yadav to go to Rio Olympics and said it is time for the conspiracy theories to stop.
His Olympic dream in jeopardy after a failed dope test, wrestler Narsingh Yadav claimed innocence, saying that the scandal is a conspiracy against him.
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.
Overcoming the dope scandal, which almost derailed his hopes of competing at the Rio Olympics, wrestler Narsingh Yadav said he would want to forget about the toughest phase of his life and solely focus on winning a medal on August 19. Narsingh reached Rio de Janeiro along with India's chief coach Jagminder Singh and checked into the Games Village.
The World Anti Doping Agency has rejected the National Anti Doping Panel verdict on wrestler Narsingh Yadav after he was given a clean chit to compete in Rio Olympic Games, according to reports on Monday.
The suspense over wrestler Narsingh Yadav's Olympic participation was on Thursday prolonged further after the National Anti-Doping Agency deferred its final verdict on the doping scandal surrounding him to Saturday or Monday at the end of a two-day hearing in New Delhi. A day after Narsingh and his lawyers presented their case on the failed dope test, which according to them, was a conspiracy against the grappler, NADA's legal team gave its arguments against the sabotage theory before the disciplinary committee. "Hearing has been concluded today (Thursday). The judgement will come out either on Saturday or Monday," NADA's lawyer Gaurang Kanth told reporters at the end of the hearing.
The postponement of the Tokyo Games to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic may have opened the door for dope-tainted Indian wrestler Narsingh Yadav to realise his dream of winning an Olympic medal. Yadav was handed a four-year doping ban just hours before his first bout at the Rio Olympics after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) won its appeal against an earlier exoneration.
A day after Narsingh Yadav's dope scandal hearing completed, there was no clarity over when the NADA's Anti-Doping Disciplinary Penal will announce its final verdict, which will decide the wrestler's Rio Olympics fate.
Rio-bound Indian grapplers, Sandeep Tomar and Narsingh Yadav won the silver and bronze medals in 74kg and 57kg respectively at the Spanish Grand Prix Wrestling championship in Madrid on Saturday.
'We have ensured that whatever he eats or drinks comes in a packaged form and is thoroughly checked.'