New Delhi: Four Indian wrestlers, including Arjuna Awardee Rajiv Tomar, were found to have flunked NADA dope tests and a red-faced national federation today announced their removal from the team for the Commonwealth Games.
In an embarrassment to the Wrestling Federation of India, Sumit (74kg), Mausam Khatri (96kg) and Rajiv Tomar (120kg), who were earlier named in the Games squad in men's freestyle, and Gursharanpreet Kaur (women's 72kg) tested positive for Methyl Hexa Neamine, a non specified substance.
Rajiv Tomar was recently conferred the Arjuna Award while Alka Tomar was bronze medal winner in the Asian Championship held here in May.
"The wrestlers from Commonwealth Games team have tested positive for Methyl Hexa Neamine (non specified substance) as per the report received from NADA," a statement from Wrestling Federation of India President G S Mander said.
"In an emergency meeting of the selection committee of Wrestling Federation of India held today in K D Jadhav Wrestling Stadium, New Delhi, the selection committee has selected the replacements of three Freestyle and one female wrestler who were earlier selected for wrestling competition of Commonwealth Games-2010," the statement added.
Mander said the national federation has provisionally suspended all these wrestlers.
"Narsingh Pancham Yadav (74kg), Anil Mann (96kg), Praveen (120kg) -- all men's freestyle -- and woman wrestler Anshu Tomar (72kg) have been named as replacement," Mander said.
India had named 21 wrestlers, including seven women, for the Commonwealth Games. The squad had included Olympic bronze medallist Sushil Kumar in men's 66kg freestyle.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, September 02, 2010, 17:52