India will challenge the official measurement of Shaili Singh’s long jump at the Asian Games 2026 after a disputed mark in the sand contributed to her fourth-place finish. The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has decided to approach the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over the measurement of one of Shaili’s attempts. The Indian athlete finished just four centimetres short of the bronze medal after China’s Mengyi Tan recorded 6.46 metres with her final jump.

Shaili’s best official effort was recorded at 6.42 metres, which initially kept her in medal contention. China’s Huang Yingying won gold with 6.55 metres, while India’s Ancy Sojan claimed silver with 6.53 metres. Tan moved into the bronze-medal position with her final attempt. The Indian camp, however, raised concerns over the measurement of Shaili’s fourth attempt, which was officially recorded as 6.41 metres.

The dispute centres on the mark used by officials to measure that attempt. According to Shaili’s mentor and AFI senior vice-president Anju Bobby George, an official positioned near the landing pit initially identified one mark made by the athlete, but another official standing farther away later pointed to a shorter mark. The measurement was ultimately taken from the mark identified by the second official, prompting the Indian camp to question whether the correct landing mark had been used.

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The issue became more significant because the disputed mark was understood to have been made by Shaili’s hair in the sand. Under long jump rules, the measurement is taken from the take-off line to the closest break in the landing area caused by the athlete or anything attached to the athlete. The Indian camp protested the decision at the venue and requested video evidence to examine the landing and measurement process.

The officials initially showed the Indian camp a front-view video of the attempt, which the team argued did not clearly establish the location of the relevant mark. The camp then requested a side-view recording. The jury later informed the team that it had reviewed the available side-view footage before deciding to uphold the original measurement. Shaili’s official result therefore remained unchanged, leaving her with a best of 6.42 metres and a fourth-place finish.

Following the jury’s decision, the AFI decided to take the dispute further and approach CAS in Lausanne. Anju Bobby George said the federation would challenge the decision, while an AFI official also confirmed that the matter would be taken to the sports arbitration body. The appeal will focus on the measurement process and the decisions made by the competition officials and jury. Until any ruling changes the result, Shaili remains fourth and Tan retains the bronze medal with 6.46 metres.

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