Ending weeks of suspense over Narsingh Yadav's Rio Olympics participation, the National Anti-doping Agency on Monday exonerated the wrestler from the charges of violating anti-doping rules while pointing that he was a victim of sabotage perpetrated by a competitor.
The 26-year-old grappler, who bagged the quota with a bronze medal finish in last year's World Championships, tested positive for a banned anabolic steroid on both his 'A' and 'B' samples. He was placed under provisionally suspension since then.
However, the NADA cleared the way for Narsingh to participate in the forthcoming Rio Olympics saying that the one-time ingestion by the wrestler 'was not within his knowledge'.
"It is unconceivable that one-time ingestion by the athlete would be of significant gain to him. Therefore, the panel is of opinion that one time ingestion by NarsinghYadav was not within his knowledge and strengthens his claim of sabotage having taken place under facts and circumstances," NADA director general Navin Agarwal told reporters while pronouncing the agency's verdict following its disciplinary panel's two-day hearing.
Narsingh had cried foul play, claiming that his food had been spiked and had filed an FIR at the Sonepat Police Station against two fellow wrestlers.
WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh had also backed Narsingh's claims of a conspiracy, after his sparring partner and roommate Sandeep Tulsi also tested positive for drugs.
The NADA also observed that it was impossible on part of Narsingh to keep a watch on his drinks while practicing and ruled that it cannot be held as his failure.
"The panel is treating this as a single violation because the report of the sample taken on 25th June was not notified to him till the sample taken on July 5," the NADA said. "The panel concludes that the athlete deserves the benefit of article 10.4 of the anti-doping rules of NADA 2015 as there is no fault or negligence on his part and he is a victim of sabotage done by a competitor."
Following the positive tests, Parveen Rana was named as Narsingh's replacement to save India the quota place. The move has also been approved by United World Wrestling.
However, the WFI said that Narsingh would now be brought back into the Rio squad.
Narsingh was selected for the Rio Olympics in controversial circumstances as two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar had demanded for trials to determine who should go to the games. However, Narsingh was favoured for the same after fighting a lengthy legal battle with Sushil.
