Asian Games 2023: Amidst controversy and high drama surrounding a disputed do-or-die raid, the eagerly awaited Asian Games men’s kabaddi final between India and Iran was halted for over an hour. India secured another gold medal at the ongoing Asian Games by defeating Iran 33-29 in the men’s kabaddi final in Hangzhou on Saturday.
India clinches gold medal
The dispute revolved around the “lobby” rule, with conflicting rules between the Pro Kabaddi League and the International Kabaddi Federation causing confusion among officials regarding its application. The match was halted at 1:46 pm India time and resumed at 2:48 pm, with India eventually securing a 33-29 victory and claiming the gold medal just a minute later.
The pivotal moment occurred with precisely one minute and five seconds remaining on the clock, as the score stood at 28-28, and India’s captain, Pawan Kumar Sehrawat, embarked on a do-or-die raid, where he needed to secure a point or face elimination. Pawan sprinted towards the right corner in an effort to execute a running hand touch but inadvertently stepped into the lobby, which is the area activated only after a raider makes contact with a defender. In this instance, there was no such touch, and he entered the lobby.
What had happened?
Remarkably, three Iranian defenders also followed Pawan into the lobby in an attempt to tackle him. Pawan quickly signaled to the referees that he had not made contact with any defender before entering the lobby. This situation led to a complex dispute involving the referees, umpires, and judges, triggering a state of confusion.
Chaos ensued when Pawan Sehrawat from the Indian team was declared out, and Iran scored a point. Pawan contested that he had gone out of bounds without being touched, triggering a review where India demanded four points while Iran sought Pawan’s point. Initially, one point was awarded to each team, resulting in Pawan and Bastami of Iran being ruled out.
However, this decision was quickly overturned, causing further confusion. As per the International Kabaddi Federation’s Rule 21, India should have received 3 points after Pawan’s raid. Iran protested this, citing a new rule used in the Pro Kabaddi League, which would have given both teams one point each. The situation escalated into chaos, with the AKFI secretary-general reviewing the video.
After a prolonged delay, which generated speculation on social media, India was eventually awarded 3 points for the raid, following the IKF rulebook. Ultimately, the officials ruled in India’s favor, and the game resumed. Two raids and a minute later, India secured their eighth gold medal in men’s kabaddi at the Asian Games.
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