"What is the legal procedure to disqualify and change officials?" -Indian fans react to poor refereeing during men’s javelin event at Asian Games
In what was one of the most anticipated events for Indian fans at the Asian Games, the men's javelin event took an unexpected turn. It was marred by controversial umpiring decisions that left athletes and spectators alike scratching their heads.
Neeraj Chopra, India’s javelin sensation, was the first to encounter the umpiring controversy. He was forced to rethrow his first attempt due to a 'technical glitch'. This unusual incident immediately raised eyebrows, as technical glitches are extremely rare in a sporting event of this magnitude.
Following Neeraj’s issue with the umpires, another one came India’s way during Kishore Kumar Jena's second attempt. His throw was initially adjudged a foul, a decision that left both Jena and the audience baffled.
Kishore then engaged in a brief discussion with fellow competitor Neeraj Chopra. Jena decided to protest the decision, confident that his throw was legitimate.
After a review by the umpiring committee, the decision was reversed, and Kishore Jena's throw was rightfully recognized as valid. This turn of events only intensified the scrutiny of the umpiring panel and their seemingly inconsistent judgment.
Indian fans on social media took to X (formerly Twitter) to express their anger and disappointment at seeing this:
Here's how fans reacted to the controversial decisions in the men’s javelin throw at the Asian Games 2023:
Despite the controversy that took place, India managed to win the gold and silver by a big margin. Neeraj won the gold in a closely contested battle with fellow Indian Kishore Jena, who stunned fans and competitors alike with his massive throw of 86.77m.
Kishore’s throw catapulted him to first place initially before Neeraj fought back and took the first position with an impressive 88.88m throw. Neither athlete could better their previous attempts, and the competition ended with Neeraj clinching gold and Jena taking silver.