Wrestling Federation of India issues strict anti-doping advisory after two positive tests

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) on Friday issued a strict anti-doping advisory for wrestlers and support staff ahead of next month’s Asian Games in Japan after losing two berths to positive dope tests.

Two athletes — freestyle wrestler Mukul Dahiya (86kg) and Greco Roman competitor Deepanshu (130kg) — returned positive tests and have been provisionally suspended, prompting the federation’s move. The WFI had been raising concerns about wrestlers leaving the National camp without permission, a practice that WFI president Sanjay Singh cited as contributing to the recent positives.

“We requested for their replacements, but as per rules replacements are possible in case of injuries only. The United World Wrestling (UWW) is strict about doping. We are likely to lose out on fielding wrestlers in two weights,” Sanjay Singh told The Hindu.

The advisory instructs athletes to exercise the “highest degree of caution and personal responsibility” and warns that ignorance, complete reliance on coaches and inadvertent consumption of banned substances cannot absolve anyone of responsibility. It also underlines that athletes in registered testing pools must provide accurate whereabouts information.

Singh singled out unsanctioned coaching outside the National camp and attributed it to part of the problem. “These wrestlers go back to their desi coaches even though we spend a lot on coaching at the National camp. These desi coaches persuade the wrestlers to consume prohibited substances assuring them that it would not reflect in the tests. Ultimately, as a country we lose out and face embarrassment.”

The WFI said its awareness programmes have produced limited results to date and indicated plans to expand education efforts. “Still, we will conduct more awareness programmes,” he said.

The federation’s request for replacements has been made but, as Singh noted, UWW rules allow substitutions only for injuries, leaving the WFI facing the prospect of not fielding athletes in the two affected weight categories at the Asian Games.