Chief coach of Rio Oympics-bound wrestling contingent Jagmander Singh supports dope-tainted Narsingh Yadav's sabotage theory; says it's tough to check Haryana centre’s massive eatery that caters to over 100 athletes/officials daily
Sandeep Yadav
A day after India wrestler Narsingh Yadav and his coach Jagmal Singh attributed the grappler's failed dope test to a conspiracy claiming his food or drink was contaminated, Rio Olympics-bound Indian wrestling contingent's chief coach Jagmander Singh has agreed that there may be truth to their claims.
Also Read: Narsingh alleges SAI role in dope scandal, gets WFI support
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Jagmander Singh
Narsingh's 'A' and 'B' samples both returned positive for a banned substance following a National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) test at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Centre in Sonepat, Haryana recently jeopardising his prospects of representing the country at the August 5-21 Rio Olympics.
Narsingh's coach Jagmal told mid-day on Sunday that "someone, somehow has mixed the drug (reportedly methandienone — an anabolic steroid that can be orally consumed) in Narsingh's food or drink at the Sonepat Centre," where they have been camping since January.
Also Read: Narsingh Yadav's coach reckons his ward's food was 'poisoned'
Yesterday, Indian wrestling's chief coach Jagmander also told mid-day from the SAI Centre in Sonepat that the possibility of contamination at the Haryana Centre cannot be ruled out.
On the mat: India's 74kg wrestler Narsingh Yadav at the SAI campus in Kandivli recently
"Narsingh said that his food has been contaminated at the SAI Centre in Sonepat and the Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has also agreed that it's a case of sabotage. I feel the same. No one can be 100% sure that the contamination has happened at the SAI mess, but all I'm saying is that there is a possibility because the mess at the Sonepat Centre here is not a small canteen.
Also Read: Sushil Kumar: Don't blame me for Narsingh Yadav's irresponsibility
It's a big facility with a huge kitchen and eating area for athletes. Over 100 people, including athletes and officials eat here on a daily basis. So, it's impossible for anyone to supervise or keep a check on things at all times," said Jagmander. However, he is confident that truth will prevail and that Narsingh will not miss out on the Rio Olympics.
"We (Indian freestyle wrestling team) were scheduled to leave today for a training stint in Georgia and then head to Rio from there, but we have delayed this trip for Narsingh's sake. "We are confident that the truth will come out soon and we will have Narsingh in our team once again.
"I have not been able to eat and sleep properly ever since I've heard about Narsingh being entangled in this dope net. I can only imagine what he must be going through. He has been through hell already — first with the controversy involving him and Sushil Kumar fighting for the same 74kg Olympics spot, and now this. Narsingh is a good, clean boy. God cannot be so unfair. I'm confident that with the WFI's backing, Narsingh will definitely go to the Rio Olympics," Jagmander added.
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