27 July,2016 07:25 AM IST | | Ashwin Ferro
Ahead of today's important NADA disciplinary hearing that will determine his Olympics fate, dope-tainted Mumbai-based wrestler has a message for authorities and rivals, who he claims have conspired against him
Narsingh Yadav at the Sports Authority of India campus in Kandivli recentl
Today is probably the most important day in the life of Mumbai-based India wrestler Narsingh Yadav. Even more important than October 9, 2010, when he won the Commonwealth Games gold in New Delhi, or September 12, 2015, when he clinched bronze in the World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas.
Also Read: Yogeshwar Dutt throws his weight behind Narsingh Yadav
Narsingh Yadav at the Sports Authority of India campus in Kandivli recentl
Narsingh (26) will attend a National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) disciplinary hearing in Delhi at 4pm today to clear his name of a doping charge that threatens to end his dream of participating in the August 5-21 Rio Olympics.
It's a matter of life and death, says the Sports Authority of India (SAI), Kandivli, grappler, who failed a NADA-conducted dope test on June 25 at the SAI centre in Sonepat, Haryana.
"I am on the verge of a breakdown. If this hearing today does not go my way, it will be the end of not just my career, but my life as well. My sole purpose in life was to win an Olympic medal for my country and I'm being denied that by some selfish people who cannot digest the fact that an 'outsider' from Mumbai is excelling in a sport that has traditionally been dominated by wrestlers from North India. Today's hearing is a matter of life and death for me.
Also Read: 'Impossible to monitor SAI's big Sonepat mess'
It's a national issue and I'm glad that the PMO (Prime Minister's Office) and the Maharashtra Chief Minister (Devendra Fadnavis) have also shown interest in the matter. My lawyer and coaches have evidence that I've been a victim of conspiracy. I'm confident that with the majority of sports lovers across the country praying for me, I will emerge clean," Narsingh told mid-day from Sonepat yesterday.
Narsingh maintains that his food/drink at the Sonepat centre was contaminated by someone owing allegiance to two-time Olympic medal-winner Sushil Kumar, who hails from the same region. After Narsingh earned India a quota for the Olympics winning a bronze at last year's Worlds, he was selected by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) to go for the Games. Sushil then went to court seeking a selection trial for the 74kg Olympics spot, but the judgement went against him.
Also Read: Narsingh Yadav's coach reckons his ward's food was 'poisoned'
On Monday, the WFI revealed that Narsingh, in a letter to them, had blamed a number of people for conspiring against him. Sushil's coach and father-in-law Satpal Singh reacted sharply to this. "Narsingh should not be blaming anyone without proof. I believe, in that letter (to WFI and the Sports Ministry) too, he has named some people as conspirators - again without any proof. If Narsingh is so confident of being clean, I suggest he undertake a narco analysis test. That will reveal the truth," Satpal Singh told mid-day yesterday.
Narsingh shot back when asked to comment on Satpal's view. "I am ready for a narco test today. Let's do it right now and I hope it establishes my innocence. I'm also ready for another dope test right now. Since that drug was put inside me around June 25, and its effects are said to last a month, I'm sure I will emerge clean today," Narsingh said.
The drug in question, methandienone, if consumed orally, can be detected for upto two to four weeks, but if injected, could show up till 18 months.
