New Delhi: Narsingh Yadav’s Rio Olympics dreams looked to be fading after the National Anti-Doping Agency disciplinary panel expectedly reserved its final verdict till Saturday or early next week.
After a two-day hearing, the former justice Manikant Mishra-headed three-menber panel, is unlikely to give a decision in favour of the dope-tainted wrestler after the Nada legal team pointed out that Narsingh’s “sabotage” allegations were not backed by sufficient evidence.
The wrestler’s ‘no significant negligence or fault’ defence (under Rule 5.2.1 World Anti-Doping Agency Code ) was also not convincing, said Nada representative Gaurang Kanth after the hearing.
“He (Narsingh) is not eligible for remission which he has been asking. They did not produce the relevant circumstantial evidence that there could have been sabotage as they had been claiming.
“They filed an affidavit that his drinks or water was spiked but they did not produce the evidence to satisfy Nada and Wada. As an international athlete he should have taken due care about his food and drink. But from what he had produced before the panel there was nothing to prove due care on his part,” Kanth added.
“So under the Wada Code if he fails to prove due care and diligence he should not be given remission and should be punished. The arguments are over let us see what the panel decides. The judgment is expected either on Saturday or Monday.”
