Should Narsingh Yadav be banned permanently for doping?
It is hardly a month for the Rio Olympics to commence and one of the best athletes has been tested positive for metadienone. Narsingh Yadav, the 26 years old wrestler, is popular for the gold medal he won at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Yadav’s career is a huge risk but he is suspended for now until investigation report proves otherwise.
The use of drugs by sportspersons has always been a controversial topic. Many athletes lost their career entirely in this regard. Though many have been known to use drugs that enhance performance, others have been known to be plotted strategically by competitors. These drugs could stay in body for months and the athlete is bound to get caught when tested.
The big question here is whether a senior wrestler like Yadav could be so foolish as to risk his career and fame by doping just a month before the Olympics? He has denied changes on ground that he never refused for the test and that someone infiltrated his food or drink with drug without his knowledge. Should he be believed or banned for trying the unethical method for success?
Yes:1. Equal opportunity for all: When one sportsperson or athlete uses drugs that are known to enhance performance it is completely unfair with the others participating alongside him. The spirit of sports gets crushed and sports would become unethical. These drugs are known to give muscle power and strength that is not naturally gained. Few days before the main event and the person would be ready to beat everyone else who has been practicing with sweat and blood. This is a serious discouragement for the rest of the players and it wouldn’t be wrong to say that others too might be encouraged to dope taking his example. A complete ban is what it takes to get the message out loud and clear.
2. Time to act: More than 60 athletes, which surprisingly includes Olympics medalists and star performers have been tested positive for taking meldonium. The number just kept growing each year. The likes of Maria Sharapova have been known to indulge in these unethical ways of winning the game. If a strong message has to be sent out to prohibit the usage of performance enhancing drugs, Yadav and any other athlete who fails the test should be imposed with a lifetime ban from the sport. They are to understand that the unfair means would not be tolerated.
3. Side effects: These drugs are known to have negative effects in the long run. Just for the sake of winning and gaining fame, athletes take to such unethical methods that would hurt in times to come. One of the major reasons for listing the banned substances was to create awareness and prevent sportspersons from getting into health hazards. It has been known that athletes, in the run to win all the time, can go to the extent of killing themselves or putting themselves at the risk of health deterioration.
4. Solidarity lost: The main motive behind this kind of sports event is solidarity and respect for each other. When it is lost among players owing to the usage of foul play methods like performance enhancing drugs, the whole point of such events is lost. Sportspersons are known to be dedicated and committed to their game, respecting the rules and laws governing the sport. Banning such people would send out a strong message to people who deteriorate the spirit of sports.
No:1. A senior wrestler: Yadav is not a newbie or amateur who was not aware of the rules and regulations and how things work in the Olympics. He knew he would be tested for the drugs at that point that the drug would not be leaving his body anytime soon. Why would he risk his career and everything he has with the opportunity of making it bigger than ever in his career? It is clear that he has been plotted schematically by competitors who were envious of his success and dedication. Banning him for someone else’s mistake is not the right thing to do.
2. Supplements: It has been known ever since the invention of sports that players have been encouraged to take nutritional supplements. Sometimes they are simply for the cause of providing the much needed nutritional strength while the other times they are banned substances. 65 percent of supplements in India are known to be contaminated. Yadav was known to be taking Cellucor and ON and since they can be contaminated to contain the banned substances, it should have been properly investigated before suspending Yadav.
3. The alleged conspiracy: Wrestling Federation of India president Brijbhushan Sharan supported Yadav by reporting that there have been previous attempts at adding unknown substances to the food prepared at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) centre. Narsingh’s roommate has also failed the dope test which clarifies that their food was infiltrated knowingly. It was very careless on the part of SAI to ignore an incident such as this, the consequences of which could end the career of one of the most efficient wrestlers.
4. Weight gain: Metadienone is an anabolic steroid which is known to help in building muscle as well as for producing explosive power. Orally taken it can be detected up to 2 to 4 weeks and if injected it can stay in your body and be detected up to 18 months. It has been known to add bulk to the body which is exactly the opposite of what wrestlers are looking for at this point of time before the competition. He wouldn’t have wanted muscle gain when everyone else was losing it which clears that he was plotted by someone else.
Whether Narsingh Yadav was a culprit of doping or a victim of conspiracy, his Rio dreams is crushed. His suspension could be eliminated owing to the WADA rule that says an athlete’s suspension could be terminated if he is able to prove that he was sabotaged by a rival. However, before boarding the flight to Rio, Narsingh will have to pass another test to ensure that there is no trace of the banned substance in his body which is very unlikely to happen since the drug stays for months after being taken.
If Yadav did not dope, it was very negligible of the Sports Authority of India to have ignored such a major hindrance like the previous attempt of adding an unknown substance.
After listening to the entire case and probing the scenario for conspiracy, NADA will decide whether or not to ban Yadav entirely from the sports.
