The final of the men's Kabaddi event at the Asian Games 2023 was witness to a major controversy when the skipper Pawan Sehrawat needed a point in what was a Do-or-die raid for India. He was dashed out which meant that Iran were supposed to get a point in defence. However, Pawan complained that he was out of bounds without any touch, which means India might get a few points as Iran’s defenders also went out with him.
According to the old rule in the books, India were supposed to get four (or five here) points but the new rule was supposed to give a point each to both teams as one Iranian defender went out of the line (self-out).
The referees were also confused about which rule has been implemented for the Asian Games. They then decided to divide the points between each other which created a huge furore between the two teams. The referees tried to mediate, but the players were not heeding their calls. The athletes remained unmoved on the mat, while the coaches persisted in their discussions. The game was eventually put on hold, with just one minute left for the match to end.
So what happened?
To break it down: Pawan went for a raid and accidentally stepped into the lobby, going out of bounds without making contact with any defender. Amirhossein Bastami, along with three other Iranian defenders, quickly moved to push Pawan out, leading to confusion about whether a successful tackle had been made. The dilemma now is whether Iran should receive a point for defence since Pawan stepped out, or should India be awarded four points because four defenders followed Pawan out of bounds.
The reaction
The Indian side, including both players and officials, disputed the call with the on-field referee and TV officials. After a more detailed review, possibly involving another referral, the officials awarded India four points. The exact number of points could depend on how many defenders followed Pawan out. This decision sparked objections from the Iranian side.
The final ruling appeared to draw from both previous and current rules. Under the former rule, India would receive four (or potentially five) points. In contrast, the updated rule would award a point to each team since one Iranian defender, Bastami, also stepped out of bounds.
Whenever the referees took a decision, the opponent side erupted in protest and refused to play, forcing the match to be temporarily suspended.
What was the eventual outcome?
According to the updated rule from the International Kabaddi Federation (IKF), India has been awarded three points, while Iran has been given one point. The match started with the score reading 31-29, and then Naveen secured the last point just as the whistle was sounded. The men's kabaddi team clinched the gold under remarkable conditions with a score of 33-29. It was undoubtedly a tough moment for the young Iranian players.
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