Another Hurdle Cleared: UWW Gives Narsingh Clean Chit for Rio

Just one more hurdle left in Narsingh’s part.

Narsingh Yadav now has just one roadblock in his Rio participation. (Photo: Reuters)

Even as the date for Narsingh Yadav’s opening bout at the Rio Olympics nears, the sport’s parent body United World Wrestling has given the wrestler a clearance to participate in the mega event that starts this weekend.

This, after Narsingh won his battle with the National Anti Doping Agency(NADA) against a positive dope test on Monday. His name was cleared after he was declared a ‘victim of sabotage’.

The verdict from that hearing was then send to United World Wrestling and the World Anti Doping Agency(WADA) for a final decision on Narsingh’s participation. On Wednesday afternoon, the Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan confirmed that the international body had clearance Narsingh’s name.

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 the UWW has reverted back saying that Narsingh will be allowed to participate in the Olympics. 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.

Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) - President

Now the final decision lies firmly in WADA’s hands, who have in fact asked NADA only yesterday to send them the case file for review.

After studying a 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.