Bizarre it may sound but Indian officials today claimed that the four weightlifters disqualified from the Nanjing Youth Asian Games were allowed to take part in their respective events and only their results were not considered for medals.
A top Indian Weightlifting Federation source told PTI that the four lifters -- Chandrika Tarafdar (Women's 48kg), Jyoti Mal (women's 53kg), Akshay Bhagwan (Men's 62kg) and Manpreet Kaur (women's 63kg) -- even received the certificates of participation.
"The four lifters who were disqualified took part in their events and lifted weights but their results were not considered for medals. It's strange but that was the case," the official said.
In the result sheet, the weights they lifted were not entered and instead, it's written DSQ.
Participants in athletics and weightlifting were required to be born in 1997 or later to take part in the Asian Youth Games while in other disciplines those born in 1996 can also take part. All the four Indian weightlifters are 1996-born.
Asian Weightlifting Federation Secretary General Ali Moradi was also quoted as saying by Chinese official news agency Xinhua as saying that the Indians took part but were not considered for medals.
"India sent many weightlifters to the organising committee and also accepted the accreditation card and finally they entried (entered). Totally, 17-year-old athletes can (take) part in the Games. But our sport is for under 17 years old," Moradi said.
"According to this, our executive board don't allow them to take medal. It means they can (take) part but be disqualified for the medal," he added.
