NARSINGH SAYS SUSHIL PART OF CONSPIRACY TO SPIKE HIS FOOD WITH DOPE, IOA TO DECIDE WRESTLER’S FATE TOMORROW
Wrestler’s allegations against SAI official shot down, anti-doping body to take call on Wednesday
Narsingh Yadav blamed a prominent wrestler, a Sports Authority of India official at the Sonepat centre and a few others in his complaint to the federation alleging conspiracy over his positive dope test.
A day after it emerged that the 74kg freestyle wrestler had tested positive for an anabolic steroid, leaving his Rio Olympics dreams in tatters, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief said Narsingh had made specific references in his complaint.
On Monday, Narsingh demanded a probe. “There should be a CBI inquiry. The whole episode relating to my selection had gone to court. There was a CID report that my life is under threat. All this makes it clear that I have been framed, so that I am stopped from going to Rio,” he said.
The matter reached the doorsteps of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is said to have been briefed on the controversy. HT had reported on Sunday that WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh had forwarded Narsingh’s complaint to the authorities.
“Narsingh Yadav submitted a written complaint to the WFI on July 19 in which he has mentioned the name of one SAI official and also made allegations against a few other people, including players,” Singh told reporters.
“I believe there is foul play in this entire episode,” said Narsingh, a 2010 New Delhi Commonwealth Games gold medallist. “Someone has sabotaged my food supplements and water intake.”
However, the sports ministry junked the allegations, saying there was no proof that SAI Sonepat centre administrator, Radhica Sreeman, who is close to Sushil Kumar, may have had anything to do with it.
“What is the allegation really? Are they saying that SAI is institutionalising doping?” asked a senior ministry official.
“Fact of the matter is he himself is in the dock. He should first do all to get his name cleared rather than being assertive and start demanding things,” he said.
“He will get all the help he needs. But to say a senior officer was involved in this is not right. Every athlete who has tested positive in the past has claimed that they are innocent and they are being framed. It is not new. We will see what the NADA disciplinary panel decides.”
Sushil Kumar, whose demand for selection trails against Narsingh to choose India’s entry was not entertained, reacted on Monday. “very unfortunate 2 see the Wrestling go through this. I hv given my life to ot (sic) & wl always support fellow wrestlers,” Sushil tweeted above a 20-second video message.
Without referring to the row, Sushil said, “I wanted to win a third medal for India but for the past one month, I have been away from preparations for Olympics. I have instead been supporting my fellow wrestlers in the hope that they would bring a medal for the country.”