Yadav failed to provide proof: Prosecution

Sabi Hussain

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 28

His hopes of participating in the Rio Olympics almost over, India’s 74kg freestyle wrestler Narsingh Yadav is staring at a possible ban of two to four years by NADA’s Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel after the NADA lawyers contended that the grappler has failed to establish his conspiracy theory.

The two-day hearing into Yadav’s dope controversy concluded on Thursday after the three-member panel listened to the arguments put forth by the prosecution (NADA) lawyers. The panel will pronounce the judgment either on Saturday or Monday.

On Wednesday, Yadav’s lawyer had pleaded that the wrestler was a victim of circumstances and that the panel shouldn’t ban him to keep his Olympics interest alive.

NADA lawyer Gaurang Kanth said that the defence team pleaded that Yadav was eligible for remission under rule 10.4 of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)’s 2016 code, which states that, “If an athlete or other person establishes in an individual case that he or she bears no fault or negligence, then the otherwise applicable period of ineligibility shall be eliminated. They will only apply in exceptional circumstances, for example, when an athlete could prove that, despite all due care, he or she was sabotaged by a competitor.”

But, the prosecution argued that Yadav failed to produce enough circumstantial evidence to prove that his rivals had hatched a conspiracy against him. The prosecution cited NADA’s anti-doping rule 2.1.1, which states that it is each athlete’s personal duty to ensure that no prohibited substance enters his or her body.

“Athletes are responsible for any prohibited substance or its metabolites or markers found to be present in their samples,” states the rule.

Kanth said that Yadav did not exercise due diligence and care which was expected from an international athlete. His defence team also failed to establish that his food supplements and water were contaminated without his knowledge.

“Yadav should have been more careful with what he ate. We argued that he is not eligible for the remission because he did not provide evidences to show that he was not at fault. The defence had no proof to show how the substance entered Yadav’s body. There was no relevant circumstantial evidence that there could have been sabotage,” Kanth said.

“The FIR made about conspiracy in Sonepat will have no bearing on the quantum of punishment. We have sought punishment ranging from 2 to 4 years,” he added.

The panel has considered his second doping offence (July 5) in continuation with the first offence (June 25) as the same anabolic steroid — Methandienone — has been found in the wrestler’s body. 

Given up on Rio

A source in NADA informed that Yadav’s defence team is trying to escape punishment and has already given up on his Rio hopes. 

“They have understood that he can’t go to Rio as things stand now. The panel is not going to exonerate him. The defence is trying to save him from a lengthy ban. A warning or a reprimand would keep his wrestling career on track,” the source said.

Yadav, on his part, remained hopeful of a positive outcome and said he will continue with his training. “I am continuing my practice. I am hopeful of going to Rio. I have full faith in the panel. Everything will be clear in a couple of days,” he said.