Six CWG gold medallists named in Asian Games wrestling squad

Besides Narsingh (74kg freestyle), Yogeshwar Dutt (60kg freestyle), Ravinder Kumar (60kg Greco-Roman), Sanjay (74kg Greco-Roman) and Rajender Kumar (55kg Greco-Roman) are the CWG gold winners among men in the squad.

Geeta is the only CWG gold winner who figures among four women in the squad.
World champion Sushil Kumar, who also won gold in 66kg freestyle in the Commonwealth Games, had pulled out of the Asian Games due to injury.

Among the 18 wrestlers named today, three -- Rajiv Tomar (120kg freestyle), Mausam Khatri (96kg freestyle) and Gursharan Preet Kaur (women's 72kg) -- will appear before a National Anti-Doping panel for a hearing on Thursday after they tested positive for banned stimulant methylhexaneamine.

Wrestling Federation of India President G S Mander told PTI that if the three dope-tainted players are handed sanctions by the NADA panel they will be removed from the squad.

"The provisional suspension of the three wrestlers have already been lifted and so there is no problem in their selection. Shot putter Shaurab Vij, who was in a similar circumstance after tested positive for the stimulant, took part in the CWG. If the three wrestlers are handed ban by the NADA panel naturally we will remove them from the Asian Games squad," he said.

Mander said Tomar's competitor Joginder Kumar, who won silver in 120kg freestyle in the CWG, is injured.

"Joginder Kumar is injured and so Tomar was named in the Asian Games squad while Anuj Kumar, who also won a silver in 84kg freestyle in the CWG, has given us a medical certificate that he is not fit," he said.

Among women, Commonwealth Games gold medallist in 55kg, Geeta found place in the Asian Games squad. Alka Tomar, who also won a CWG gold in 59kg, was not named in the squad.

The Squad: Men
Free Style: Vinod Kumar (55kg); Yogeshwar Dutt (60kg); Pradeep Kumar (66kg); Narsingh Yadav (74kg); Ram Vir (84kg); Mausam Khatri (96kg); Rajiv Tomar (120kg)
Greco-Roman: Rajender Kumar (55kg); Ravinder Singh (60kg); Sunil Kumar (66kg); Sanjay (74kg); Manoj Kumar (84kg); Anil Kumar (96kg); Dharmender Dalal (120kg)
Women: Nirmala Devi (48kg); Geeta (55kg); Suman Kundu (63kg); Gursharan Preet Kaur (72kg).