Asian Games 2026: Greco Roman wrestler Deepak dropped from team for doping

The Indian wrestling fraternity has been hit with another shocking news just days ahead of the Aichi Nagoya Asian Games with the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) provisionally suspending Greco Roman grappler Deepak (67kg) on Wednesday after testing positive.

Deepak is the third wrestler to have tested positive after Deepanshu (Greco Roman 130kg) and Mukul Dahiya (Freestyle 86kg) were suspended for the same.

Deepak was tested during the Asian Games selection trials held in Lucknow on May 31.

"We appreciate the efforts made by NADA but if they acted swiftly we could have easily found replacements and India would not go unrepresented in at least two weight categories," a source told The Bridge, pointing to Deepanshu’s positive test.

According to a notification issued by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), Deepak's urine sample returned an atypical finding for clomifene, a prohibited substance classified under S4 (Hormone and Metabolic Modulators) of the 2026 WADA Prohibited List.

NADA said the sample was reported as an atypical finding on July 23 and, following an investigation and an interview with the wrestler on August 17, decided to move the case forward as an Adverse Analytical Finding. Clomiphene helps in treating infertility in men and women.

"Deepak was one of the weakest wrestlers to be selected. When he won the trials everyone was surprised with his performance," another source said.

With just a few days to go for the continental games, India will go unrepresented in three wrestling weight categories in Aichi Nagoya. 

The Wrestling Federation of India had named 16 wrestlers for the Asian Games across men's freestyle, Greco-Roman, and women's weight categories, which will now be cut down.

Indian wrestlers had won a total of six medals including 1 silver and five bronze medals in the previous edition of the Asian Games in Hangzhou.