Last week, India was greeted with some post Olympic warmth after Russia’s Besik Kudukhov tested positive for banned substances, gifting Yogeshwar Dutt an Olympic silver medal. However, in a shocking revelation, gold medal winner Azerbaijan’s Toghrul Asgarov has tested positive for one banned substances in one of the minor samples taken during the London Games. However, the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) is yet to confirm whether the grappler has officially tested positive for usage of drugs.
A source close to WADA told Sportskeeda, “One minor sample has tested positive for two banned subsatnces at the subsidiary process of testing, however, I must add that there two more cycles of testing and one entire round re-testing to go. It is not possible for us to determine exactly until the final results are out. We will only forward our result to the United World Wrestling (UWW) when we know after retesting.”
He added, “Yes it does happen on occassion that re-tests yield a different result, it’s not a one off, but it’s not very common either. All we know is that there two banned substances in one of the six samples he gave. So we must make a comparison and take a call as well. Nothing as of now can be confirmed yet.”
In all likelihood Yogeshwar will be given the silver medal, but the Haryana grappler has himself decided not to take it. He publicly denied the medal on social media, requesting International Olympic Council (IOC) to give the medal to the Russian’s family. He told Sportskeeda, “I am very happy for the nation, that they are happy I have won a silver medal. However, it will be wrong on my part to take it as humanity comes first. The medal should go to his family as they are currently moaning his death and hold the first right of it. But, it also makes me happy that it’s bringing India together.”
If this particular result is verified as true, Asgarov could also be stripped off his 2016 Rio Olympic silver in the 65 kg category.
