Sindhu, Sakshi shine before Narsingh ban dampens India spirits

By Tapan Mohanta Rio de Janeiro, Aug 19 (PTI) Shuttler P V Sindhu andwrestler Sakshi Malik scripted a new chapter in Indian Olympichistory with their unprecedented feats but the embattledNarsingh Yadav’s dreams lay in tatters after being slappedwith a four-year doping ban on a bitter-sweet day for thecountry at the Rio Games here. Sindhu made a historic entry into the final of badmintonwomen’s singles event, hours after Sakshi had nailed thecountry’s first medal following 11 blank days in thisBrazilian city. However, in a stunning reversal of fortunes,controversial male wrestler Narsingh was ousted from theGames and slapped with a four-year ban for flunking a dopetest after Court of Arbitration for Sports overturned theclean chit given to him by the National Anti-Doping Agency. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) had appealed againstthe NADA all-clear to Narsingh at CAS, three days ahead of hisscheduled opening bout at the Olympics. "…Narsingh Yadav was sanctioned with a four-yearineligibility period starting today and that any period ofprovisional suspension or ineligibility effectively served bythe athlete before the entry into force of this award shall becredited against the total period of ineligibility to beserved," CAS said in a statement after the hearing, whichlasted four hours last night. "The CAS Panel did not accept the argument of the athletethat he was the victim of sabotage and noted that there was noevidence that he bore no fault, nor that the anti-doping ruleviolation was not intentional. Therefore the standard 4-yearperiod of ineligibility was imposed by the Panel," it added. On the brighter side, the lanky Sindhu, ranked 10th inthe world, ensured at least a silver medal to add to thecountry’s near-empty kitty after Sakshi had captured thebronze in 58 kg women’s wrestling when she outclassed Japan’sworld no. 6 Nozomi Okuhara with clinical perfection. With yesterday’s brilliant show Sindhu, ranked 10th inthe world, went one better than her senior Saina Nehwal,bronze medal winner in London four years ago, and became thefirst ever Indian to enter the summit clash of the shuttlegame in the quadrennial sports spectacle. Sindhu defeated her short-statured, third-seeded Japaneserival, the current All England champion, 21-19 21-10 in 49minutes with superb, attacking play to enter tomorrow’s goldmedal clash. The Indian shuttler from Hyderabad, a two-time bronzemedallist in World Championships, will meet Spain’s world no.1 Carolina Marin, who ousted defending champion Li Xuerei ofChina in the first semi-final with a 21-14 21-16 victory, inthe final. MORE PTI TAP SSR AH PMPM