Asian Games 2023: Did Chinese Officials Try To 'Cheat' Neeraj Chopra? India Great's Big Accusation

A huge controversy erupted during Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra's javelin throw event at the Asian Games when his first attempt was not measured, prompting legendary Anju Bobby George to accuse the Chinese officials of "trying to cheat" and "deliberately targeting the Indians". It seemed Chopra had comfortably cleared the 85m mark but to his surprise the effort was not recorded by the officials and he was not given any reason for that. "I don't know why they did not measure my first throw. Just after me, the second and third competitors had their throws and their distance were measured. I kept on asking what happened to my first throw," Chopra told reporters after winning gold medal on his fourth attempt.

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"I was puzzled and confused, it has never happened in any competition I have competed in till now. I think they lost my landing mark and they kept on looking for it." Kishore Jena, who joined Chopra on the podium with his silver-winning effort, also had his second throw invalidated for crossing the line but the decision was later reversed.

Anju Bobby George, the senior vice president of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) accused the officials of deliberately targeting the Indians.

"They are trying to cheat us and trying to disturb our athletes. Neeraj's first throw was a very good throw and it was a kind of disturbance. We called Neeraj to protest there itself. Jena's throw also called foul when he was one foot behind the line," the legendary long jumper alleged.

Anju reckons that winning in China is difficult as their officials are always up for some "mischief" and disturb the athletes.

"Winning in China is very difficult so though we are best