Asian Games: India Clinches Thrilling Men's Kabaddi Gold, Crossing 100 Medals

HANGZHOU: In a spectacular culmination of India's Asian Games campaign, the nation clinched the gold medal in the men's kabaddi event on the final medal day. This victory not only added another precious gold to India's impressive tally but also completed a remarkable double in the homegrown sport, following the women's kabaddi team's earlier triumph.

The men's kabaddi team's triumph marked their seventh gold medal in eight editions of the Asian Games, reasserting their dominance in this continental competition. This victory was particularly sweet for India after their third-place finish in Jakarta, where they had to settle for a bronze medal.

The final, featuring the powerhouses India and Iran, lived up to its billing as a thrilling contest. However, it was not without its share of drama, especially towards the end of the high-octane match.

India secured a hard-fought victory, defeating Iran with a score of 33-29. Yet, the celebration was momentarily interrupted by a 45-minute delay, as Iran vehemently protested the referee's decision to award India three crucial points with just over a minute remaining on the clock. The drama unfolded during a pivotal raid by India's Pawan Sehrawat.

The chaos erupted when Pawan Sehrawat was deemed "out" by the Iranian team, who subsequently scored a point. However, Pawan argued that he had stepped out of bounds without being touched. This led to a comprehensive review of the situation, with India demanding four points, while Iran contested Pawan's point. Initially, the decision was a one-point deduction for each team, resulting in Pawan and Bastami of Iran being declared "out."

However, the decision was soon overturned, causing further confusion. As per the International Kabaddi Federation rulebook (Rule 21), India should have been awarded three points after Pawan's raid. Iran, on the other hand, argued that a new rule, used in the Pro Kabaddi League, would have resulted in both teams receiving just one point each. The dispute escalated into chaos, necessitating the intervention of the AKFI secretary-general, who reviewed the video footage.

After the prolonged delay, which sparked speculation on social media, India was ultimately awarded the three points for the raid, in accordance with the IKF rulebook.

The controversy surrounding the refereeing decisions in kabaddi at the Asian Games left a sour note, considering the tremendous effort put forth by both India and Iran in the gold medal match.

In the dying minutes of the match, India managed to add a couple more points to their tally, securing the gold medal and preventing it from slipping through their grasp. This victory not only bolstered India's medal count at the Asian Games but also showcased their unwavering commitment to excellence in the sport of kabaddi.

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