Doping row: Wrestler Parveen Rana to replace Narsingh Yadav in Rio Olympics

Wrestler Parveen Rana has been named as the replacement for Narsingh Yadav, who failed the dope test, in the 74kg freestyle category at the Rio Olympics, the world wrestling body announced on its website on Tuesday.

Wrestling Federation of India had kept Rana and Jitender as stand-bys for Narsingh, which had ruled out Sushil Kumar’s chances of going to Rio. Freestyle wrestler Rana had earlier won a gold medal in the 74kg category at the Dave Schultz Memorial wrestling tournament in USA in 2014.

“His name is sent as date of replacement was given as July 25 and that’s why the name is sent to the world body. We would still hope Narsingh is proved innocent and goes to Rio,” WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh said.

After failing the dope test, Narsingh was put under provisional suspension. Narsingh, who earned the Rio quota after winning a World Championships bronze, was earlier picked ahead of double Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar.

A day after Narsingh failed the dope test, his roommate at SAI (Sports Authority of India), Sonepat, Sandeep Tulsi Yadav also failed a dope test.

(With inputs from PTI)