New Delhi: Four Indians wrestlers were dropped from the Commonwealth Games squad on Thursday for failing National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) tests.

While Arjuna awardee Rajiv Tomar (120 kg) is the biggest name among the four, Sumit (74 kg), Mausam Khatri (96 kg) and woman wrestler Gursharanpreet Kaur were the others to test positive for Methylhexaneamine, a non-specified substance.

According to Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) sources, two more grapplers — Rahul Mann (60 kg) and Joginder Singh (120 kg) — have also tested positive. Both these wrestlers were in the core group but did not make the cut for the Commonwealth squad.

Confirming that all four have been dropped from the squad, the WFI president, G. S. Mander, said: “I really don’t know why these wrestlers had taken this stimulant drug. We may launch an international inquiry to know the truth.”

A sports medicine expert with the Sports Authority of India (SAI), who did not wish to be named, said he was at a loss to understand why these wrestlers took Methylhexaneamine.

“This drug is a stimulant for the central nervous system and falls among the in-competition banned drugs,” he said. “This drug may help a weightlifter, who needs explosive strength during a lift, but can in no way assist a wrestler to improve the performance. Instead, it may blunt his finer judgements.”

Sumit’s exclusion is a blow to those who were expecting the youngster do well in the Commonwealth Games. In the trials at Sonepat, Sumit had got the better of World Championships bronze medallist Ramesh Kumar.

The tainted grapplers have been replaced by Narsingh Pancham Yadav (74kg), Anil Mann (96kg), Praveen (120kg) — all men’s freestyle — and woman wrestler Anshu Tomar (72kg).

India had named 21 wrestlers, including seven women, for the Commonwealth Games. The squad includes Olympic bronze medallist Sushil Kumar in men’s 66kg freestyle.

Meanwhile, shot putter Saurabh Vij and Akash Antil, named in the Commonwealth Games squad, flunked dope tests last month, Athletics Federation of India said.

“As per the report received from National Anti Doping Agency (NADA), the athletes Saurav Vij and Akash Antil were found positive in the dope test conducted during National Inter State Senior Athletics Championships held at Patiala from 5th to 8th August 2010,” a statement from AFI said.

“They are hereby provisionally suspended with immediate effect till pending enquiry,” AFI officiating secretary Ravinder Chaudhry said in the statement.