NSIM

Dilemma regarding Yogeshwar Dutt’s Olympic Medal

NEW DELHI: London Olympics bronze medallist Yogeshwar Dutt returned home fromRio Olympics without making much of an impact, bowing out at the first hurdle. However, even as he tried to shake off the disappointment, came the news that his London Games bronze medal, won in the 60kg freestyle category, could be upgraded to silver. The urine sample of the silver medallist, Russia's Besik Kudokhov, had returned positive for a banned substance.

Then, even as congratulatory messages streamed in, came another media report on Friday evening -his silver could be upgraded to a gold medal because now the sample of Azerbaijan's Toghrul Asgarov, who won the gold in London, had tested positive. Asgarov also won the silver medal in Rio in the 65kg category.

Dutt was taken aback by Friday's report. "Even I have heard through reports in the media and have been receiving constant messages. I had lost to the Russian so my bronze should be upgraded to silver. But there is another bronze medallist - USA'sColeman Scott - who lost to Asgarov. I am not exactly aware of the rules. I am yet to receive any official communication (on medal being upgraded)," Yogeshwar told TOI on Friday.

On news of his London sample being tested, he said, "It may have been tested or will get tested soon. Any confirmation will come only after that."

It could not be independently confirmed if Asgaro has indeed tested positive.

Kudokhov had died in a car crash in 2013 but his samples - like others' - were kept frozen according to World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) rules. According to new rules the samples are preserved for 10 years and retested regularly to catch dope cheats who had escaped the net at the time of the competition.

Yogeshwar's sample will be tested before upgradation to silver

NEW DELHI: Star India wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt will have to wait to know whether his bronze medal from the 2012 London Olympics is upgraded to silver till the time his sample is cleared by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

Reports emerged that the grappler's bronze would be upgraded to silver after second-place finisher of the London Games - late Besik Kudukhov of Russia - was stripped off his medal for failing a dope test.

An official confirmation is still awaited and a top Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) official said that even Yogeshwar's dope test from the 2012 Games has to be cleared before he could be handed the medal.

"Yogeshwar's tests are also being conducted and once his dope test comes out clean, then only he will be handed the silver medal," the official said on the condition of anonymity.

As per WADA's revised norms, samples taken for dope tests from international tournaments are now been stored in deep freeze up to 10 years in order to allow the use of advanced technology, available with the passage of time, to catch the dope cheats to ensure that "the clean athletes get justice even if it comes a bit late".

The IOC has been re-testing the samples collected at London as well as 2008 Beijing Olympics, besides other international tournaments, keeping in view of the new rules.