PKF summons meeting after Pakistani player represents India in kabaddi tournament

The Pakistan Kabaddi Federation (PKF) has called an emergency General Council meeting for December 27 and ordered an investigation after a local player was seen playing for the Indian team at a tournament in Bahrain, wearing its shirt and waving the Indian flag.

The player identified in the matter is Ubaidullah Rajput, who was among the 16 participants and is a Pakistan national team player.

PKF Secretary Rana Sarwar said Chairman Chaudhry Shafay Hussain had convened the meeting to take up the matter.

Sarwar said 16 Pakistani players participated in the Bahrain event, but stressed it was not Pakistan’s national team, no permission was sought for it, and no NOC was issued to the players.

The 16 included the national team and national-level players.

He said it was a self-styled team in which Pakistan’s name was used, adding that neither government permission was obtained to take part in the event nor was the federation informed.

Calling the incident “unacceptable”, Sarwar said a national player playing for India and waving its flag would be investigated and the “strictest action” would be taken. 

He added that action would also be taken against self-styled promoters and that no one would be allowed to hold illegal events or, under any circumstances, defame Pakistan’s name.

Sarwar said players from several countries can play together in clubs, but described playing for a foreign team and waving its flag as regrettable.

Player issues apology

In a statement issued on social media Rajput issued an apology.

He said the tournament is held in Bahrain every year and that he had previously participated in the cup. He said the team he had played for earlier did not call him this time, but another team invited him, so he went.

Rajput said he did not know the teams would be named India and Pakistan. He said that as he was entering the ground, friends told him he was playing for India, and that he asked the commentator to announce it was not an India–Pakistan match but a local cup.

He said that after arriving, slogans of India–Pakistan were chanted, but insisted it was not in his mind that slogans would be raised or flags would be waved.

Rajput said it was only a cup and not a World Cup, adding that World Cups are not like this. He said that if it were a World Cup, he would definitely play for Pakistan because he is Pakistani.

He said his life is a sacrifice for Pakistan and that some people made negative comments, adding that if anyone’s heart had been hurt because of him, he sought forgiveness.

Rajput said he apologised to his federation, his coach and his well-wishers, and said the cup should remain a cup, repeating that World Cups are not like this.

The tournament was the 3rd GCC Kabaddi Cup, held on December 16 in Salmabad, Bahrain, at the Gulf Air Club, with participating teams Bahrain, Kuwait, Dubai and Oman.