Rio Olympics: WFI president confident that Narsingh will clear CAS hurdle

Amid latest twist in the Narsingh Yadav saga, Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has expressed confidence that the embattled wrestler will be cleared by the Court of Arbitration (CAS) in his doping case.

On Tuesday, Narsingh's Rio Olympics campaign hit another roadblock when the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) decided to appeal to the CAS the clean chit given to him by NADA in New Delhi earlier this month.

"WADA has appealed in the CAS. We have presented our case to WADA. They have set a hearing for 18th of August. Our lawyer will not be able to reach here by that time and, therefore, he will mark his presence either through telephone or video conference," Brij Bhushan told ANI.

"I am totally confident that Narsingh will clear this hurdle as well. Our case is not at all weak," the WFI chief said, adding that an instant decision cannot be taken on this matter due to its lengthy process.

Earlier, NADA had paved the way for Narsingh to compete in the prestigious quadrennial event after its disciplinary panel exonerated the 26-year-old grappler from the charges of violating anti-doping rules saying he was a victim of sabotage perpetrated by a competitor.

Narsingh, who bagged the quota with a bronze medal finish in last year's World Championships, tested positive for a banned anabolic steroid on both his 'A' and 'B' samples. He was kept under provisionally suspension until the NADA's verdict.

However, Narsingh, who is scheduled to fight in the 74-kg category on Friday, could be banned for four years if the CAS upholds WADA's appeal.

When asked what happens if Narsingh fails to get clearance before his bout, Brij Bhushan said: "It is our responsibility to stand by your player. He has come to Rio after receiving a clearance from NADA and not because of any other reasons."

The WFI president said the series of hurdles had been distracting for the entire wrestling contingent but insisted that they will come out victorious in this battle.

Interestingly, Narsingh was also selected for the Rio Olympics in controversial circumstances as two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar had demanded for trials to determine who should go to the games. In the end, Narsingh was favoured for the same after fighting a lengthy legal battle with Sushil.