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Yogeshwar Dutt’s Olympic medal won’t be upgraded to gold, says UWW

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New Delhi: The United World Wrestling (UWW) on Tuesday quashed all speculation about star wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt’s bronze at the 2012 Olympics turning into gold by announcing that gold medallist Togrul Asgarov of Azerbaijan has not tested positive for banned substances.

“Contrary to news reports, 2012 Olympic gold medallist Togrul ASGAROV (AZE) has never been in violation of UWW’s anti-doping policy,” UWW, the governing body of world wrestling confirmed on Twitter. The UWW confirmed on Tuesday in the tweet that Asgarov’s victory was indeed a legal one and that would mean the end of Indian’s chances of winning another gold.

Yogeshwar had originally taken bronze in the men’s 60kg freestyle category at the London Olympics in 2012 by defeating Ri Jong-Myong of North Korea in the play-off. The 34-year-old had been defeated by Russian grappler Besik Kudukhov in the pre-quarterfinals at the 2012 Games. Kudukov went on to bag the silver after losing to Asgarov in the final.

However, Kudukov, who had died in a car crash in southern Russia in 2013, was recently found to have used a banned substance during a retest of samples from the 2008 and 2012 Olympics conducted by the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA), which means the Indian’s bronze medal is expected to be upgraded to silver.

Earlier, Yogeshwar, who failed to win a match at the 2016 Rio Olympics, had said that he has been informed that his 2012 bronze was upgraded to silver. “This morning I got to know that my Olympic medal has been upgraded to Silver. I dedicate this medal to my countrymen,” is the English rendering of what Yogeshawar wrote in Hindi on August 30.

Although Yogeshwar had said that the upgradation of his bronze medal to silver was good for the country. At the same time he had also said on twitter that he hoped the medal remains with Besit Kudukhov’s family. Kudukhov had died in a car crash in Russia, a year after the London Olympics. Yogeshwar said that sympathy towards the deceased and his family is paramount for him. Yogeshwar also acknowledged Besik as a “great” wrestler and he still respected him as a wrestler.

In London, the Haryana grappler defeated Franklin Gomez of Puerto Rico, Masoud Esmaeilpour of Iran and Jong-myong in the repechage rounds to claim bronze.

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) is still awaiting official news on Yogeshwar’s silver medal upgradation also with UWW yet to confirm the development, as Yogeshwar’s sample is also being tested.

 

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