Parents of wrestler Narsingh Yadav, who was tested positive for a banned substance days ahead of Rio Olympics Games, on Wednesday, urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and ensure that their son goes to the event.
An emotional Bhulna Devi, Narsingh's mother, said people have been conspiring against her son for quite some time now.
"My son will go (to Rio). They have mixed something in my son's food. I am in pain. My son has to be sent. People have conspired against my son. I urge the government to look into the matter. My son has been preparing for Olympics for four years," she told ANI.
"People have been conspiring against my son," she added.
Narsingh's father, Pancham Yadav, echoed similar sentiments and said his son deserves to represent the country at Rio as he has been preparing for it for over four years.
"My son has won everywhere. How can Praveen Rana go? I urge the Prime Minister to intervene and send Narsingh.If someone goes to Rio, then it will be him," he said.
Hours after the Wrestling Federation of India named Praveen Rana as Narsingh Yadav's replacement, Union Sports Minister Vijay Goel said as per rules, no player in the Olympics squad can be substituted if he or she has been suspended for failing dope test.
Earlier today, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh confirmed that they had named Praveen Rana as a replacement for Narsingh Yadav, who was tested positive for a banned anabolic steroid. He was later called for his 'B' sample test, which also turned out to be positive.
The 26-year-old tainted grappler, who bagged the quota in the 74kg category with a bronze medal finish in last year's World Championships, will be appearing before a NADA panel later this week for final hearing.
Interestingly, 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 legal battle with Sushil.
A day after Narsingh failed the dope test, his roommate Sandeep Tulsi Yadav at SAI (Sports Authority of India), Sonepat, also tested positive for the same substance.
