When ProSportify heralded its first season of Pro Wrestling League last November, it became imperative that Wrestling would make its foray into glitzy India’s living rooms. No longer limited to rustic akhadas, wrestling became a national sensation. Live television coverage, quirky-catchy newspaper headlines and of course a frenzy of spirited fans, a much overdue shrink-wrappage to a long-lineated sport of Hanuman bhakts and pehalwans.

Wrestling fraternity divided

A little over nine months, news coverage took its turn into a scandalous tug of war for the ticket to Rio Olympics. It further divided the entire wrestling fraternity of India to choose sides. On one hand, two-time Olympic Medalist Sushil Kumar, who had put wrestling scene in India on the map by grabbing a bronze medal at Beijing Olympics, 2008 and subsequently a silver in London Olympics, 2012. On the other hand the shooting star in form of Narsingh Yadav, the first of Indian athletes to qualify for Rio, who had virtually booked his berth by winning India’s sole medal at World Wrestling Championships, 2015. An event the former was unable to participate into owing to his injuries.

A huge political drama ensued in the forthcoming week. Sushil petitioned his side of the story summoning the authorities to contest a bout between the two to arrive to a final decision. He even wrote to the Prime Minister on twitter on speak into the matter. Delhi High Court seeked trial for this rivalry on June 8th, dropping the ball in the Federation’s court. The Court declared the FWI’s decision to be final and irrevocable. Henceforth all the pleas were rejected citing the grounds that it was Narsingh’s victory which let India reserve its berth in the 74-Kg category.

Who had the most to gain from Doping scandal?

Little, over a month ago another controversy followed when Yadav tested positive on multiple counts of doping. The test was first conducted on June 25th and then on July 5th. All hopes for Indian wrestling’s poster boy for Rio seemed to vanish. The sport appeared to suffer more than ever, as its hero remained tainted. Yadav however claimed innocence and iterating himself a victim of sabotage and that his food had been spiked.

An FIR was lodged against a junior wrestler named Jitesh, identity of suspect revealed that he trained at Chhatrasal akhada. The entire mystery revolved around the simple theory, ‘Who had the most to gain?’. In the meantime, while the controversy embroidered, with huge debates in both the houses of parliament. FWI announced its replacement to Yadav, an untrained-novice Praveen Rana, completely ignoring Sushil’s name in the list.

WADA overturns Narsingh Yadav clean chit

An anti-climaxing chapter in the entire saga took place on August 1st, when NADA exonerated Yadav from all the allegations. He proved his innocence not only in the court of public, but also the lawyers and drug specialists.

Demons however loomed, if he would be compete in Rio. In a bizarre twisted fate of judgment, a day before he was scheduled to commence his campaign. WADA exercised its right to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) challenging NADA’s hearing panel. Mumbai based wrestler has been slapped four year ban, meaning his Rio hopes have been dashed. There cannot be anything more saddening for an athlete than to be tainted scornfully, pulled out from the ‘single biggest moment of his destiny’.

Not only does this decision at such a stage of competition appears immature but highly controversial as well. As India prides in the victories of its proud daughters in PV Sindhu and Sakshi Malik for their heroic triumphs. The highly talented Narsingh Yadav is stripped of his opportunities and robbed of his boyhood dreams.

‘I am devastated and shattered. Mere twelve hours before the most important day of my career, I have been robbed cruelly of my dreams to win a medal for my nation. I’m not going to stay quite. I will prove my innocence. This is my fight’, Narsingh Yadav said.

The four year ban not only oust all hopes for Rio but an end to the pursuit for Olympics in Tokyo, 2020 as well.

Image Courtesy: Indian Express