Parveen Rana to replace Narsingh Yadav for Rio Olympics

India on 26 July 2016 named Parveen Rana as a replacement for dope-tainted wrestler Narsingh Yadav for Rio Olympics in the 74kg freestyle category. The Rio Olympics is scheduled to happen from 5 August to 21 August 2016.

Freestyle wrestler Rana had earlier won a gold medal in the 74kg category at the Dave Schultz Memorial Wrestling Tournament in USA in 2014.

United World Wrestling on its website said that it had informed the Wrestling Federation of India that they would be allowed to replace Narsingh in the 74kg freestyle category or give up the qualification spot. The world wrestling body said the Indian Olympic Association expressed their desire to enter Parveen as their replacement.

Why Narsingh was replaced?

Narsingh had failed a dope test recently and was under provisional suspension, virtually out of the Games. Narsingh claims that he is a victim of conspiracy.

Narsingh is to face the National Anti-Doping Agency's disciplinary committee on 27 July 2016 to prove his innocence. Wrestling Federation of India and Olympic medalist Yogeshwar Dutt are among those who have come out in support of the grappler.

Comment

Parveen Rana's selection also comes as a major shock for two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar who was being seen as Narsingh's replacement. Narsingh and Sushil, both, had earlier staked their claim to represent the country in the Games.

But, Narsingh was favoured as he had earned the Olympic quota in the World Championships in 2016. Parveen is regarded as Sushil Kumar’s understudy at Delhi’s Chhattrasal Stadium. He represented the country at the 2014 Asian Games which had Sushil missed due to injury.

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