New Delhi: India’s dope shame in the Rio Olympics build-up continued with indications that 200m runner Dharambir Singh has tested positive for a banned substance in an in-competition test conducted last month.
Dharambir, who became the first Indian male sprinter to qualify for the Olympics after 36 years, missed his flight to Rio on Tuesday night, amid speculation that he had tested positive for an anabolic steroid in his A sample taken by National Anti-Doping Agency (Nada) during the Indian Grand Prix Meet in Bangalore on July 11.
However, neither Nada nor the Athletics Federation of India confirmed whether the athlete had failed a dope test.
The 27-year-old from Haryana was to leave for Rio on Tuesday but was told to stay back, according to sources.
Sources said Nada had asked Dharambir whether he wanted to get his B sample tested and he has seven days to get the procedure completed.
If his B sample also tests positive, he is certain to miss the Olympics besides facing the prospect of an eight-year ban since it would be his second doping offence.
He was earlier stripped of his gold medal won in the 100m race during the National Inter-State Championships in 2012 for evading a mandatory dope test and a lengthy ban may bring an end to his career.
According to sports medicine experts, there is no provision of a life ban under the new World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) Code of 2015 and maximum punishment is eight years.
Dharambir had breached the 200m Olympics entry standard of 20.50secs by clocking 20.45secs in the fourth Indian GP in Bengaluru on July 11, the last day of qualification, which was hastily arranged by the Athletics Federation of India to give the athletes a chance to make it to the Rio Games.
His impressive timing had, however, raised suspicions in some quarters as he has been erratic in his performance for some time and has been training outside the national camp in Rohtak with his personal coach.
Earlier, shot putter Inderjeet Singh and wrestler Narsingh Yadav had also flunked dope tests but the latter was cleared by the Nada’s Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel, which ruled that he had been a victim of sabotage.
Yadav, on Wednesday, also got the go-ahead of United World Wrestling (UWW) to compete in Rio even as he waited for a Wada clearance as well.
Narsingh, cleared by Nada on Monday, was awaiting a response from UWW on the Wrestling Federation of India’s request to reconsider his name in the 74kg weight division.
“After Narsingh was given a clean chit by Nada, we immediately wrote a letter to the world body to reconsider his name in 74kg category. Today I am really delighted to announce that UWW has reverted back saying that Narsingh will be allowed to participate in the Olympics,” Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh said.
“Now they just need a confirmation letter from us and we have already sent it. So, there should not be any problem as far as the world body is concerned about Narsingh’s participation,” he added.
However, the 26-year-old grappler would have to wait for some more time before boarding the flight to Rio as the Wada had on Tuesday asked Nada to send the case file of Narsingh for a review.
After studying the case, Wada can appeal against a decision of the Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel or Appeals Panel of any of its member countries to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) within 21 days.