Rio doors ‘almost shut’ for wrestler Narsingh: Sports minister Vijay Goel

The doors are ‘almost shut’ for wrestler Narsingh Yadav to go to Rio Olympics, Union sports minister Vijay Goel said on Wednesday.

Narsingh, who earned the Rio call after winning a World Championships bronze, failed a dope test last week but pleaded innocence. He cried foul by alleging that someone spiked his diet with banned substances.

The controversy took another turn when Narsingh identified two fellow grapplers as the culprits, who according to him contaminated his food with a banned steroid, in a formal police complaint.

However, Goel said on Wednesday,”Narsingh was found positive after a test conducted by NADA and he was provisionally suspended. All these conspiracy theories which are floating, unless all these things come to our notice, we can’t do any investigation or take any step regarding that (sic).

“But I don’t think it is a debatable issue because whatever be the reason of doping, not only us but the whole world is also watching it and I think it will be extremely difficult for him to go to Rio.

“There are no proof of these rumours and I want all these suspicions of foul play to stop and our anti-doping agency will give a final report within a few days and we have also tested his food supplement.”

Read | Wrestler Parveen Rana to replace Narsingh Yadav in Rio

Meanwhile, reports in media suggest that Narsingh had failed another dope test conducted on Wednesday.

Asked about Narsingh’s demand for a CBI investigation, Goel said, “When the federation will write to us only then the government will see, similarly as it sees any other issue.”

Another Rio Olympics athlete Inderjeet Singh, a shot putter, also failed a dope test.

Asked was it not a concern that two athletes failed dope test ahead of the Olympics, Goel said, “Both Narsingh and Inderjeet are not new players. They have won many medals for India and they know all of these.

“NADA also keeps educating the athletes through booklets. There are around 1000 registered budding athletes.”

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