World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) v. Narsingh Yadav & National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA)
Bench:
Panel: Mr Mark Hovell (United Kingdom), President; Mr Jinwon Park (South Korea); Mrs Andrea Carska-Sheppard (Czech Republic)
Facts:
Months before the Olympic Games in Rio, Indian wrestler Narsingh Yadavtested positive for an anabolic steroid. After Yadav was provisionally suspended by India’s National Anti-Doping (NADA), he provided them with a list of food and supplements constituting his diet. He alleged sabotage against his competitors claiming that they had contaminated his food. NADA and Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel (ADDP) gave him a clean chit accepting his claim of sabotage. However, amused by this decision, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)chose to file an application in Rio to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) Ad Hoc Division, disputing the ruling of NADA and ADDP.
Issue:
Is thereenough proof to reduce to the 4-year ban of wrestler Narsingh Yadav?
Judgement:
The panel in the court said that the wrestler failed to satisfy his burden ofproof as he couldn’t prove his claim that his energy drink had been intentionally contaminated by a member of Sushil Kumar’s entourage. The panel was also satisfied that the Athlete simplyand intentionally ingested the prohibited substance in tablet form on more than one occasion and therefore they set aside the ruling of India’s National Anti-Doping Agency. The Panel sanctioned Narsingh Yadav with a 4-year ban and disqualified all of competitive results from June 2016.
