Just two days after the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) exonerated India’s Olympics-bound wrestler Narsingh Yadav in an alleged case of doping, the United World Wrestling (UWW) today cleared his path to the Rio Olympics, though he will have to wait for a WADA clearance as well.
Narsingh, cleared by NADA on Monday, was awaiting response from UWW on the Wrestling Federation of India's request to reconsider his name in the 74kg weight division.
"After Narsingh was given a clean chit by NADA, we immediately wrote a letter to the world body to reconsider his name in 74kg category. Today I am really delighted to announce that UWW has reverted back saying that Narsingh will be allowed to participate in the Olympics," Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh said.
"Now they just need a confirmation letter from us and we have already sent it. So, there should not be any problem as far as the world body is concerned about Narsingh's participation," he added.
However, the 26-year-old grappler would have to wait for some more time before boarding the flight to Rio as the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) had yesterday asked NADA to send the case file of Narsingh for a review.
After studying the case, WADA can appeal against a decision of Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel or Appeals Panel of any of its member countries to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) within 21 days.
If WADA appeals against the decision of the disciplinary panel at the ad hoc division of the CAS, specifically constituted to render decisions quickly during the Olympics, Narsingh may have to wait some more days to know his fate regarding his participation in the Rio Games.
Earlier, in a sensational turnaround, Narsingh was exonerated of doping charges by the NADA's Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel, which concluded that he was a victim of sabotage, boosting his chances of making it to the Olympics.
After more than a week of drama, which began with Narsingh testing positive for a banned anabolic steroid methandienone in tests conducted on June 25, NADA Director General Navin Agarwal put an end to the suspense on the wrestler's fate by exonerating him on Monday.
The United World Wrestling, in its letter to the WFI, has confirmed that Narsingh is eligible to take part in the upcoming Rio Games, starting August 5.
"Mr. Narsingh Pancham Yadav is eligible to participate in any international competition from now on, including the Rio Olympic Games," the UWW stated.
"The UWW realised that Narsingh earned the place for the Games during the UWW's 1st qualifying phase. Now Indian Olympic Association is sending the name of Mr. Narsingh Yadav for Rio Olympic Games," the statement added.
(With PTI inputs)
