Bayt Sayyah stripped of gold medal at Iranian Paralympics due to ‘hateful’ flag display. Up trends

The Beit Sayah team set a new Paralympic record in the men’s javelin throw F11 category at the 2024 Paris Paralympics with a throw of 47.64 metres.

The Iranian athlete celebrated his victory by raising the religious flag, which led to his exclusion from the Games.

This turn of events changed the medal standings, elevating India’s silver medalist Navdeep Singh to gold.

Beit Sayyah told reporters that he raised the religious flag during his celebration of winning the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games without any problems.

Indian para-athlete Navdeep Singh’s silver medal in men’s javelin F41 has been upgraded to gold.

This win marks India’s first ever gold medal in the men’s javelin F41 category. Navdeep Singh, a 23-year-old athlete from Haryana, achieved a personal best of 47.32 metres, securing first place in the competition.

Singh had finished fourth at the Tokyo Paralympics three years ago.

Navdeep, who competes in the classification reserved for short athletes, originally ended up with the silver medal after beating world record holder Sun Bingxiang of China with a throw of 47.32 metres.

However, she was promoted to an unprecedented gold after Sadiq’s disqualification. Pingxiang (44.72m) won the silver medal.

Sayah powered the field with a new Paralympic record of 47.64 meters on his penultimate throw but lost out on the medal due to his antics.

Social media users and prominent political and cultural figures in Iran criticized the decision to disqualify Beit Sayyah, saying the athlete was right to express his religious fervor after winning the gold medal.

International Paralympic Committee rules prohibit athletes from making any political gestures at the event and Sayah was expelled from the final results for unsportsmanlike/inappropriate behaviour.

Iraqi Al-Nakhilawi and Yeldan won the bronze medal (40.46 seconds).

Starting off the competition with a foul, Navdeep, who entered the event with a personal best of 44.29m and a season’s best of 42.82m, achieved a throw of 46.39m on his second attempt, moving him into second place. But it was his third shot that electrified the field.

With a massive throw of 47.32 metres, Navdeep broke the Paralympic record and moved into the lead, but Sadiq broke the Indian athlete’s mark with a shot of 47.64 metres, in his fifth attempt.