India received their 7th Gold medal of the Paris Paralympics courtesy Para javelin thrower Navdeep Singh. Navdeep had won silver medal in the men’s javelin throw F41 competition at the 2024 Paris Paralympics on Saturday, but his medal was upgraded to gold after the winner Iran’s Sadegh Beit Sayah was disqualified.
Iran’s Sadegh was disqualified from the competition soon after completion because he displayed a non-state flag during celebrations. The gold for Navdeep comes after he has finished fourth in the Tokyo Olympics
Explained the reason behind Sadegh Beit Sayah's disqualification
The Iranian could be seen waving a black flag with text written in Arabic. Sadegh was handed two yellow cards for the offence before being disqualified.
Sadegh broke rule 8.1 of the World Para Athletics Rules and Regulations (Code of Conduct and Ethics).
“World Para Athletics (WPA) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, ethics, and conduct in the sport of Para athletics. All participants in the sport, including athletes, coaches, officials, and administrators, have a responsibility to uphold these standards and ensure that the sport is conducted in a fair, honest, and transparent manner,”
About Navdeep Singh's javelin journey
Navdeep SIngh's javelin journey began in 2016 after taking inspiration from Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra. Standing at just 4 feet 4 inches tall, Navdeep's determination to do well made him excel in the sport of Javelin.
Originally interested in wrestling, inspired by his father Dalbir Singh, Navdeep mad ehisa shift to para-javelin throw after being motivated by para-athlete Sandeep Chaudhary. Chaudhary took him under his wings and refined his skills to help him clinch a gold medal at the 2017 Asian Youth Para Games in Dubai, marking the beginning of his successful career.
After a fourth place finish in Tokyo, Navdeep earned a bronze medal at the 2024 World Para Athletics Championship in Kabe, Japan, which earned him a spot in the Paris 2024 Paralympics.
