- AFI initiates CAS action over Shaili Singh’s disputed jump.
- Mentor Anju George alleges officials shortened Shaili’s jump measurement.
- Officials rejected protests, claiming side-view video was unavailable.
The Athletics Federation of India has taken dramatic legal action at the Asian Games 2026, officially deciding to approach the Court of Arbitration for Sport after a controversial measurement error allegedly robbed long jumper Shaili Singh of a historic gold medal. According to a PTI report, the federation is refusing to back down following a disputed ruling on the field.
Shaili finished fourth in the women’s long jump final on Sunday with a recorded best effort of 6.42 metres. Fellow Indian competitor Ancy Sojan claimed the silver medal with a 6.53m jump, while China’s Huang Yingying secured gold with a final-attempt leap of 6.55m. However, the official results have been cast into chaos over a disputed fourth attempt by Shaili that was marked at 6.41 metres.
Anju Bobby George Exposes The Measurement Blunder
According to legendary long jumper and AFI senior vice-president Anju Bobby George, who acts as Shaili’s mentor, officials drastically shortened the measurement during the event. Speaking to PTI, Anju revealed the chaos that unfolded around the landing pit.
“We saw that her jump was clearly ahead of the gold-winning mark. Initially, the official near the landing pit pointed to Shaili’s leg mark for the measurement. But later, another official who was standing farther behind came and pointed to a mark that was much shorter from the board,” Anju told PTI.
The mentor stressed that protocols were blatantly ignored. “They took the measurement from the mark pointed out by the official who was standing farther behind. The measurement should have been taken from the mark pointed out by the official nearest to the landing pit.”
Rejected Protests And The Decision To Move CAS
Shaili lodged an immediate protest on the field while video footage was reviewed. However, the appeal process deepened the frustration. Officials presented a front-view video to the camp, which failed to provide an accurate perspective of the landing point. When the Indian delegation demanded a side-view recording, authorities claimed it was unavailable.
A subsequent appeal to the jury met with a dismissal, as officials claimed they reviewed side-view footage and upheld the original score. Refusing to accept the ruling, the AFI confirmed to PTI that it is escalating the dispute to the Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport.
“It’s an injustice to Shaili. She could have even won gold if the correct measurement had been made. So, we are going to CAS,” Anju told PTI, with another top federation official confirming the legal escalation.
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