Yogeshwar Dutt wants Russian wrestler's family to retain Silver medal

Yogeshwar Dutt wants Russian wrestler's family to retain Silver medal

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In a heartening show of sportsmanship, Yogeshwar Dutt has expressed his wish to let the family of Besik Kudukhov, who passed away in 2013 in a car crash, retain his Silver medal. The 33-year-old's 2012 Olympic Bronze is set to be upgraded to Silver after Kudukhov tested positive for banned drugs.

The Indian wrestler took to Twitter to show his respect for Kudukhov and said that it is unfortunate that he was tested positive after his death. Yogeshwar has hoped that despite being stripped of his medal, Kudukhov's family will be allowed to retain the Silver as a mark of respect.

Yogeshwar Dutt had a remarkable Olympic journey in 2012. After losing to Russia’s Besik Kudukhov in the qualifiers, Yogeshwar received a second shot through repechage when the Russian reached the final of the 60kg freestyle event. Repechage is a rule where players who lost to the eventual finalists receive a chance to fight among themselves for the two bronze medals at stake.

Yogi then went on to clinch bronze defeating a tactically superior opponent in a splendid fight to become one of India's six medalists at London, and the second Indian wrestler after Sushil Kumar to claim an Olympic medal. But, he has equaled Sushil's other feat of an Olympic Silver with the latest development.

Russia’s Besik Kudukhov, the silver-medalist at 2012 after losing to Toghrul Asgarov of Azerbaijan, had died in an accident in 2013, but his earlier samples tested positive for banned substances leading to the silver medal being stripped.

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