Asian Games | India's mixed relay team's appeal for obstruction by Bahrain rejected by the jury

08/30/2018

India's mixed relay team lodged a protest appeal against Bahrain reporting a Bahraini runner for obstructing Hima Das during the relay race in which India finished second. The appeal was rejected by the Asian Games’ Jury of Appeals for the athletics competition on Wednesday.

Indian mixed relay team comprising Muhammed Anas, Poovamma, Hima Das, and Arokia Rajiv, clocked 3mins 15.71secs to finish behind Bahrain who clocked 3mins 11.89secs on their debut at the Asian Games. Indian team appealed against the Bahraini runner for causing obstruction but it was rejected by the jury.

“We presented our case and after due deliberation, the jury rejected our appeal. So the result stands, we are the silver winners,” an Indian team official told PTI.

The race was started off by Anas who managed to take a 30m lead over his Bahraini rival and then passed on the baton to Povamma.

However, Povamma squandered the lead and by the time she passed on the baton to Hima Das, their rivals had created a huge lead.

As Hima got the baton, she had to change her lane and sidestep Bahrain's Oluwakemi Adekoya who fell before her, obstructing her way after passing the baton to Salwa Naser. Hima couldn't cover the distance as Salwa pulled up a lead, leaving the last Indian runner with a mammoth task of covering at least 50m lead.

This resulted to India reaching the finish line second and clocked 4 secs behind Bahrain.