Sunday, July 24, 2016
By
AFP

Rio-bound Indian wrestler fails doping test

By
AFP
|
Rio-bound Indian wrestler fails doping test

New Delhi: Indian wrestler Narsingh Yadav has failed a drugs test, the country´s anti-doping agency said Sunday, raising doubts about his inclusion in the Olympic squad less than two weeks before the Rio Games begin.

Yadav, a Commonwealth Games gold medallist, qualified for next month´s Olympics in the 74-kilogram freestyle category, but tested positive for a banned steroid during routine testing.

A subsequent sample known as a B sample was also found to be positive.

"Narsingh was personally present when his B sample was opened," National Anti-Doping Agency director general Navin Agarwal told the Press Trust of India news agency.

"He appeared before a disciplinary panel yesterday (Saturday). The panel sought more reports regarding the matter," Agarwal said.

Agarwal said a decision had not yet been made on removing the 26-year-old from the Rio-bound squad, adding it was "too early to comment".

"We will try to complete the whole thing quickly."

Further hearings would be held into the case, the government said in a statement, confirming the positive test but not naming Yadav.

There was no immediate comment from Yadav, the son of a milk vendor, who won gold at the Commonwealth Games in 2010 but came home-empty handed from the London Olympics two years later.

The news could open the door for champion wrestler Sushil Kumar, India´s most successful individual Olympian.

Kumar failed to qualify for Rio despite winning bronze at the 2008 Beijing Games and silver in London, both in the 66-kilogram freestyle category.

Kumar launched a legal battle to win the right to compete against Yadav for the sole spot in the Indian squad for the 74-kilogram category, after his 66-kilogram favourite event was axed.

But Delhi´s High Court last month sided with the International Wrestling Federation which ruled that Yadav, a 2015 world championship bronze medallist, had already qualified.

The Olympics start on August 5.