PremiumAsian Games: Why was India vs Iran kabaddi Gold medal match filled with controversy?
With only 1 minute and 5 seconds remaining in the game, a dramatic turn took place.
Last Updated: 02.45 PM, Oct 07, 2023
As Indian sports enthusiasts were divided between three gold medal matches in badminton, cricket, and kabaddi, a gripping moment unfolded during the men's kabaddi final between India and Iran at the ongoing Asian Games in Hangzhou on Saturday. With only 1 minute and 5 seconds remaining in the game, a dramatic turn took place.
Pawan Sehrawat was compelled to embark on a do-or-die raid, but he went out of bounds without making contact with any Iranian defenders. Amirhossein Bastami and three other defenders swiftly converged on the raider in an attempt to push him out. This situation sparked a moment of confusion, leaving uncertainty as to whether Pawan had been successfully tackled.
Initially, Iran was credited with a point for their efforts to halt Pawan. However, the Indian contingent, including players and officials, engaged in a heated discussion with the on-court umpire and TV officials.
After further review, possibly involving another referral, the officials ultimately decided to award four points to India. It's worth noting that the number of points may have varied based on the number of players who went out of bounds with Pawan.
This decision triggered protests from the Iranian team. The final decision appears to have been influenced by a combination of both old and new rules.
So, what are the rules?
Under the old rule, India would have received four (or possibly five) points, while the new rule would have awarded one point to each team because one of the Iranian defenders (Bastami) had gone out of bounds (self-out).
In the end, it seems that there was some confusion and disagreement regarding the rules and the points awarded for the specific situation that unfolded during Pawan Sehrawat’s raid.
Amid all this, India went on to clinch gold in both badminton and cricket.