Dope-tainted Narsingh records statement before CBI, alleges conspiracy

Indian wrestler Narsingh Yadav, who was handed a four-year ban ahead of the Rio Olympics for failing two dope tests, recorded his statement before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the case on Saturday.

In his recording to the CBI in the ongoing doping case against him, Narsingh alleged that another wrestler mixed narcotics and banned substances in his meals and drinks to stop his participation in the Rio Olympics.

Yadav, in his recording, also said that conspiracy was hatched against him by mixing some banned stuff in his meals at Sports Authority of India (SAI) hostel in Sonepat, but he failed to provide any substantial evidence to support his allegations.

He, however, remains hopeful that soon he would be back on wrestling mat.

Now, the CBI is preparing to seek clarifications from SAI officials in the matter.

Narsingh has been facing doping charges after the National Anti Doping Authority (NADA) conducted two positive anti-doping tests with methandienone on June 25 and July 5.

Despite getting a clean chit from the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) had handed Narsingh a four-year ban in its 'operative award' on August 18 barely hours before his 74kg freestyle opening bout was scheduled at the Rio Olympics.

The development came after the WADA filed an urgent application before the CAS, challenging the decision of NADA to exonerate the 26-year-old grappler following two positive anti-doping tests.

Narsingh had submitted that the doping offence was due to sabotage carried out by Jithesh (a junior wrestler and a member of Sushil Kumar's entourage) by mixing his energy drinks with prohibited substance on either June 23 or 24.

However, the CAS had dismissed the sabotage theory, saying that the grappler failed to produce any real evidence in the matter while ruling that he took the "banned substance intentionally in tablet form".

On October 18, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) confirmed that the dope case has been referred to the CBI for further investigation.