Road to Rio: UWW gives green signal to Narsingh Yadav, WADA verdict awaited

New Delhi, Aug. 3 (ANI): In what may come as a major boost for the Indian contingent, wrestler Narsingh Yadav has been cleared by the United World Wrestling (UWW) to participate in the Rio Olympics. The development came after the National Anti-doping Agency (NADA) cleared the grappler from the doping charges. Confirming the news, Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh said that they had received UWW's clearance in written for Narsingh's participation in the Summer Games. "After Narsingh Yadav got a clearance from NADA, we have written a letter to UWW. And I feel really glad to inform you that UWW commission has given clearance in written to the wrestler for Rio Olympics. We just now need an approval of Indian Olympic Association.I think there will be no more obstruction in the matter and Narsingh will head to Rio," Brij Bhushan told ANI. However, there are two more hurdles for Narsingh Yadav as his participation in the 74kg men's freestyle category in Rio Games is still subjected to the clearance from the International Olympic Committeee (IOC) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). A relieved Narsingh had earlier said he knew that justice would prevail and that he would get a clean chit from the NADA to compete in the Summer Games. "It was indeed a very difficult period for me as a conspiracy had been hatched against me and even my Rio chances looked bleak at one stage, but the NADA panel showed faith in me and exonerated me from doping charges," he said after the NADA's clearance. The NADA pointed out that Narsingh was a victim of sabotage perpetrated by a fellow 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'. "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 panel concludes that the athlete deserves the benefit of Article 10.4 of the anti-doping rules of the NADA 2015 as there is no fault or negligence on his part and he is a victim of sabotage done by a competitor," NADA director general Navin Agarwal said while delivering its disciplinary panel's verdict. Before the 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. Brij Bhushan had also backed Narsingh's claims of a conspiracy, after his sparring partner and roommate Sandeep Tulsi also tested positive for drugs. Following the positive tests, Parveen Rana was named as Narsingh's replacement in order to save the quota place of the country. The move was also approved by the UWW. 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. (ANI)