Archive · 28 Sep 2026
Scoring Controversy Derails Rahi Sarnobat’s Asian Games Medal Hopes
Rahi Sarnobat was competing in a shooting event at the Asian Games.
Officials said one of her shots hit the frame around the target instead of the scoring area.
Because of that, she received zero points for the shot.
Rahi said she did not hear the usual sound that happens when a shot hits the frame.
She also noticed confusion about shots recorded on two targets.
She protested the decision, but the protest did not clear up her concerns.
The zero hurt both her individual result and India’s chances of winning a team medal.
Rahi said she will eventually move past the incident and continue preparing for major competitions.
Rahi Sarnobat was awarded a zero after officials ruled that a shot hit the target frame during the women’s 25m sports pistol qualification.
The disputed shot reduced her opening Rapid-round series score from an expected 96 to 86.
Sarnobat questioned the ruling, saying she heard no metallic sound and that officials identified extra shots on targets 20 and 21.
She filed a protest, but said the process did not resolve her doubts about the evidence or scoring system.
The 2018 Asian Games champion said she intends to move on and target future Olympic and World Championship competitions.
- Who
- Rahi Sarnobat, India’s 2018 Asian Games champion shooter, and officials overseeing the women’s 25m sports pistol qualification.
- What
- A disputed shot was ruled to have hit the target frame, giving Sarnobat a zero and damaging India’s team medal prospects.
- When
- Monday, September 28, during the opening series of the Rapid round, the second and final qualification day.
- Where
- Nagoya.
- Why
- Officials said the shot struck the target frame, while Sarnobat questioned the ruling, the evidence, and the mechanism for challenging disputed scores.
Sarnobat’s Concerns
Officials’ Ruling
What happened to the shot
Sarnobat’s Concerns
Sarnobat said she did not hear the metallic sound normally associated with a shot hitting the target frame and was not convinced by the evidence presented.
Officials’ Ruling
Officials ruled that the shot had struck the target frame rather than the scoring zone.
Scoring records
Sarnobat’s Concerns
Sarnobat questioned the apparent recording of a shot on target 21 and an extra shot on target 20, saying the situation was confusing.
Officials’ Ruling
Officials followed the prescribed procedures when handling the scoring incident, according to Sarnobat’s account.
Challenge process
Sarnobat’s Concerns
Sarnobat said the existing mechanism should provide clearer answers or a way to rectify disputed scoring decisions during competition.
Officials’ Ruling
The protest process was conducted according to the rules, but it did not establish an alternative result or resolve Sarnobat’s doubts.
- Event
- Women’s 25m sports pistol qualification
- Disputed score
- A zero was awarded for the contested shot
- Series result
- Sarnobat scored 86 instead of the approximately 96 she expected
- Team impact
- The result severely dented India’s team medal prospects
- Protest
- Sarnobat lodged a protest under the competition rules
- Previous achievement
- She won gold at the 2018 Asian Games
- Future targets
- The Olympic Games and World Championships