For a second successive Olympics, doping scandal has hit Indian wrestling. With less than 50 days left for the Tokyo Games, another doping controversy has hit Indian wrestling, after a Tokyo-Olympics-bound wrestler failed the dope test. According to a report in The Indian Express, the United World Wrestling (UWW) has provisionally suspended the wrestler for an alleged anti-doping rule violation with effect from Thursday.
The name of the wrestler has been withheld by the UWW because of a pending ‘B’ sample test.
With eight Indian wrestlers, four men and four women, India was poised send its largest wrestling contingent for the Tokyo Olympics, which starts on July 23. But it could come down to seven, the number of Indian wrestlers qualified for the Rio Olympics if the wrestler in question fails the dope test.
Wrestling is one of India’s biggest medal sports and has secured podium places in three back-to-back Olympics (2008, 2012 and 2016).
Five years ago, just before Rio Olympics, Narsingh Yadav failed a drug test which later became one of the biggest scandals to hit Indian sport. Yadav, who had been selected after a long-drawn court battle with two-time Olympic medalist Sushil Kumar, accused his rivals of spiking his food.
The 2015 World Champion was let off by NADA, but Narsingh Yadav was not allowed to take part in the Rio Olympics after the World Anti-Doping Agency appealed the decision. He was later handed a four-year suspension, which ended last year. Yadav made a return and tried to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics but failed to do so.
Meanwhile, a month-long training-cum-exposure camp for the Olympic Games bound freestyle wrestlers is commenced in Warsaw, Poland. However, India’s top wrestler Bajrang Punia is not competing in the Ranking Series. The 27-year-old said he more than ranking points he desperately needs mat-training with strong sparring partners ahead of the Tokyo Olympics since the 65kg category is loaded with top performers.
Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here