Asian Games 2026: Why Iran's Heptathlete Fatemeh Mohitizadeh Was Disqualified From Competition? Explained

Iranian heptathlete Fatemeh Mohitizadeh was leading the women's heptathlon at the Asian Games 2026 before facing a sudden disqualification. Her campaign ended abruptly after a technical review revealed her footwear during the long jump violated World Athletics regulations.

Iranian heptathlete Fatemeh Mohitizadeh’s hopes of winning a medal at the Asian Games 2026 have abruptly come to an end following her disqualification from the competition. Mohitizadeh was leading the women’s heptathlon event on the opening day at Aichi-Nagoya, holding a commanding lead of nearly 100 points.

Fatemeh Mohitizadeh, who made a comeback to the multi-discipline event with stellar performances across the 100m hurdles, high jump, shot put, and 200m on Day 1, was leading with 3.486 points and was the frontrunner heading into the second day of the competition.

However, Fatemeh Mohitizadeh’s chances of winning gold evaporated abruptly after a long jump equipment infraction ended her campaign, with technical officials ruling that her choice of footwear breached World Athletics regulations.

What Happened to Fatemeh Mohitizadeh’s Shoes?

On day 2 of the women’s heptathlon event, Fatemeh Mohitizadeh began with a strong performance in the long jump, recording a mark of 5.97 meters. However, her performance was overshadowed after other athletes lodged a complaint with the officials against the Iranian athlete, prompting a technical review.

The officials reviewed that Fatemeh was wearing shoes with spikes, which violates World Athletics technical regulations regarding sole thickness, design specs, and spike compliance for multi-event disciplines. In the long jump event, athletes should wear shoes with a sole thickness of no more than 20mm, as per World Athletics' current shoe regulations.

In Fatemeh Mohitizadeh’s case, she was found to be non-compliant with the technical specifications, leading officials to disqualify her from the competition under World Athletics Rule TR7.1 (TR5.2). Therefore, the Iranian heptathlete’s previous athletic marks for the discipline were completely annulled.

🚨 LEADER FATEMEH MOHITIZADEH DISQUALIFIED FROM HEPTATHLON!

Iran’s Fatemeh Mohitizadeh has been disqualified from the women’s heptathlon at the Asian Games 2026 following a protest over her footwear during the long jump.

Mohitizadeh reportedly wore her sprint spikes for the… pic.twitter.com/Y0nDSX3H5I

— nnis Sports|Asian GamesAthletics (@nnis_sports) September 25, 2026

Having entered Day 2 of the event with a commanding 100-point lead, Fatemeh Mohitizadeh found herself thrust into a bitter controversy that stunned the athletics stadium. Her 5.97-metre leap briefly consolidated her top position and further put her in a position to win a gold medal, but a formal protest lodged by rival competitors triggered a rigorous technical inspection of her gear.

Iran has already won 24 medals, including 6 gold, 11 silver, and 7 bronze, but Fatemeh’s medal quest came to an abrupt halt, sending shocking waves to the Iranian delegation members who were present at the venue.

Who is Fatemeh Mohitizadeh?

Fatemeh Mohitizadeh’s unexpected end to her quest for gold after leading the women’s heptathlon event has grabbed attention at the ongoing Asian Games 2026. Fatemeh’s disqualification now leads to other competitors fighting for the podium places as the grueling multi-discipline competition moves toward its conclusion.

Hailing from Kerman, Iran, Fatemeh Mohitizadeh has steadily risen to become of West Asia's premier multi-event athletes. Making her international debut at the Asian Youth Championships in 2019, where she finished fourth, the 23-year-old has made steady progress in the senior ranks, representing her country on the international stage.

Fatemeh Mohitizadeh, Iran's representative in the heptathlon, was disqualified from the competition after competing in six events in the 2026 Asian Games, during which she held second place, because her shoes did not meet the required standards. pic.twitter.com/sbW1JtvkFT

— Hatam Shiralizadeh (@HatamDaddy) September 25, 2026

Fatemeh received her maiden international breakthrough when she won the silver medal at the Asian Indoor Championships in 2024, followed by a gold medal at the West Asian Championships in heptathlon. In November 2025, the Iranian athlete won the gold medal at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh with a new national record of 5562 points.

Fatemeh Mohitizadeh is also a three-time national heptathlon champion, having won in 2019, 2023, and 2025, and was also the indoor national champion in 2024. Before entering the Asian Games, Fatehmeh had already established herself as a powerhouse in domestic and regional competition.