Yogeshwar Dutt, after a disappointing performance in the Rio Olympics in August, had received some great news as reports emerged stating his 2012 London Olympics bronze medal could be upgraded to silver. The situation arose after the then silver medallist Besik Kudukhov, who died in a car crash accident in 2013, was tested positive for a banned substance in a re-test this year.
The player was tested positive for steroid turinabol, but the International Olympic Committee, which has passed the case to a three-member committee, decided to drop all investigations against deceased Russian wrestler Besik Kudukov. As a result of this, there will be no upgradation to silver for Yogeshwar.
"The International Olympic Committee will not deprive wrestler Besik Kudukhov of his silver medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London," Press Trust of India quoted United World Wrestling vice president Georgy Bryusov as saying.
But Yogeshwar will not be disappointed with this information as he was not too keen to receive the silver medal, which Kudukhov had won in the 60 kg freestyle event. The Indian wrestler, via some tweets, said that he wanted Kudukhov's family to keep the medal as human feelings were paramount to him. After the Russian's death, that silver medal must mean a lot to his family.
Though the IOC seems to have made a decision on the matter regarding Kudukhov, allowing him to keep the silver medal, the Wrestling Federation of India are in the dark. Assistant Secretary of WFI Vinod Tomar informed that they have not received any official update about it so far.
"We do not have any information about his medal not being upgraded. Before the Rio Olympics, we had been told that Kudukhov had tested positive for banned substance and Yogeshwar's 2012 London Olympics samples would be tested before deciding to upgrade his bronze to silver. But after that we have not got any update on the matter till date," Tomar said.
