Hangzhou Asian Games kabaddi | Gold worth a wait for Indian men team

Pawan Sehrawat declared "apna gold wapas leke ayenge" and India did just that, despite the drama on the field. The men's team faced confusion and criticism from referees and jury, while the women's team had to prove they were still the best. The badminton team overcame illness and fatigue to bring home the gold.

Pawan Sehrawat had declared ‘apna gold wapas leke ayenge’ on the eve of the final against Iran. And after all the drama on field, he admitted it felt good to hold the gold.

“The gold you lose, if it comes back it always feels great. it’s like when there is a robbery at your house and you manage to recover all your stuff, it’s the same feeling. We have got back what was always ours,” the India captain declared, even if the Indian players had to wait an hour more to get it around their necks.

But it whatever happened in the men’s kabaddi final made little sense to those watching it from the outside, it was equally flabbergasting for those on it. But there was unanimity on one point – the referees messed it up. “I’ve been with kabaddi for more than 25 years, as a player and coach and I’ve never had this kind of crazy experience. The referees make a decision, India team gets reviewed, jury said one point each. Then India pressed and the referee changed everything and closed the match for one hour! This is not possible in kabaddi.

“I don’t know about that point but it was a big mistake because I think there were 2-3 persons in jury very weak because they are not player, coach or referee. But we have too many people and they can’t make a decision,” a despondent Iran coach Gholamreza Mazandarani said.

As coach of the side that finished second in 2014 as well as won gold in 2018, Mazandarani was categorical in his criticism. “In Incheon also there was problem but it was not about refereeing. It was about the match and India team won, we don’t have a problem. Here it was not our mistake, it was not their mistake, it was jury’s mistake. It was very bad,” he added.

His captain Fazel Atrachali admitted the change in rules was confusing. “The problem is that we don’t what rules are followed. Here they were changed and in Pro Kabaddi, it’s different. They have seven substitutes there, we have five here -- Iran team didn’t know. The raider coming to lobby and defence coming there also given out, we didn’t know so we fight for that,” he explained. “This is very bad for the final of the Asian Games, one hour they stopped the match and all referees were very weak and they were not good. If any decision you can’t tell in one or two minutes in the final, this is not good,” he added.

Across the line, India coach Bhaskaran Edachery voiced similar thoughts. “I have been in kabaddi for 32 years, never seen such refereeing because this was under pressure. But our boys stood their ground. I have never seen federation officials coming down to the technical area before. If they don’t sort this soon it will reflect badly on the sport. I completely agree that it was weak refereeing, officials were not listening to jury also,” he exclaimed.