The arrival of an allegedly unofficial kabaddi team of India in Pakistan for the World Kabaddi Championship has kicked up a controversy amid claims by the Ministry of Sports and the Pakistan Kabaddi Federation that they have not given clearance to any athlete.
A contingent from India reached Lahore on Saturday via the Wagah Border to take part in the championship, being hosted by Pakistan for the first time. The athletes were welcomed by Punjab Minister for Sports Rai Taimoor Khan Bhatti. The pictures and footage of the players arriving in Lahore have surfaced in social media.
The tournament opened on Monday at the Punjab Football Stadium in Lahore and will be followed by some matches in Faisalabad and Gujrat.
An Indian sports ministry spokesman said the government has not granted permission to any athlete to travel to Pakistan for the event.
“The Sports Ministry and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) have not granted any permission to any team, which is mandatory while representing the country at any international event,” India Today reported citing sources.
The administrator of Amateur Kabbadi Federation of India (AKFI) Justice (r) SP Garg also said that the national body has not cleared any such team.
“We have no information about any Kabbadi team which has gone to Pakistan. No permission was ever granted by AKFI to any team to go to Pakistan and play any Kabbadi match there,” he said.
“We came to know about it only after the information was sought. AKFI does not support any such activity. Legal action may be taken against the defaulters,” he added.
The procedure for participation at overseas events is that India’s national federation will communicate to the sports ministry which in turn will write to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for political clearance and Home Ministry for security clearance, irrespective of whether the government is funding the contingent or not.
All the six previous editions of the World Kabbadi Championship took place in India between 2010 and 2019. India have won all six championships, defeating Pakistan in 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2014 editions.
Pakistani organisers said that teams from Australia, England, Germany, Iran, Azerbaijan, Sierra Leone, Kenya and Canada are also taking part in the event.
The winner of the tournament will get Rs10 million, while the runner ups will get Rs7.5m.
