Just when the country started celebrating the prospect of wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt's 2012 London Olympics bronze medal (which was earlier upgraded to silver) being converted to gold, due to the failed dope test of ultimate champion Toghrul Asgarov, the Indian grappler himself dampened the spirits by saying that as far his knowledge, he is only entitled to win silver, reported rediff.com.
Asgarov of Azerbaijan, who won gold in the 60kg Freestyle Wrestling category, tested positive for consuming performance enhancing drugs and reports suggested that in case Yogeshwar's samples come out clean, then the grappler is in for a golden treat. However, the Indian wrestler felt that Coleman Scott of the United States is supposed to win gold.
Earlier, two-time Olympic medallist Besik Kudukhov, who died in a car crash in 2013 was stripped off his silver medal for failing dope test and Yogeshwar's bronze turned into silver.
Asked about the possibility of being upgraded as a gold medal winner, Yogeshwar told rediff.com, "I have heard about these reports, but, according to me, I will only be getting the silver medal. We (Scott and Yogeshwar) were two bronze medalists. I had qualified through repechage and lost to the silver medalist. The other bronze medal winner, Coleman Scott of the United States, should get the gold because he lost to the eventual champion. Thus, I don't think my silver will be upgraded to gold. However, I am yet to receive any formal information about this and I am only saying what I feel."
Sources also informed dna that Yogeshwar is entitled to get silver as per the rules which state that in case the gold medallist is stripped off his medal, then the bronze winner who lost to the ultimate champion, should get the yellow metal.
It was only under WADA's policy of “legacy testing” or “retrospective testing”, where samples of athletes are kept in deep freeze up to 10 years and being tested time and again with the upgradation of testing techniques that Kudukhov and Asgarov were found to be drug cheats.
So as things stand, Yogeshwar will only have to be content with a silver medal.
