Pakistan kabaddi player banned indefinitely for representing Indian team in private tournament

Pakistan international kabaddi player Ubaidullah Rajput (Source: Instagram)

A well-known Pakistan international kabaddi player, Ubaidullah Rajput, has been banned indefinitely by the national federation after he appeared for an Indian team in a private tournament in Bahrain earlier this month. The Pakistan Kabaddi Federation (PKF) imposed the ban following an emergency meeting on Saturday, finding Rajput guilty of travelling abroad to play in the tournament without obtaining a mandatory no-objection certificate (NOC) from the federation or other relevant authorities.

PKF secretary Rana Sarwar said Rajput has the right to appeal before a disciplinary committee. Sarwar said the federation took serious note of the fact that Rajput not only travelled overseas without an NOC but also represented a team from India, wore its jersey and, at one point, wrapped the Indian flag around his shoulders after winning a match.

"But he (Rajput) has claimed it was a total misunderstanding and he was never told the team he would play for in the private tournament would be an Indian side. But he is still guilty of flouting NOC rules," Sarwar said.

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Rajput landed in trouble after videos and photographs of him wearing an Indian jersey and waving the Indian flag during the GCC Cup went viral on social media. Sarwar added that other players have also been banned and fined for participating in the event without obtaining NOCs.

Rajput had earlier issued an apology, stating that he was invited to play in the tournament in Bahrain and was included in a private team. "But I didn't know until later they had named the side Indian team and I told the organizers to not use names of India and Pakistan. In private competitions in the past, Indian and Pakistan players have played together for a private team but never under the names of India or Pakistan," he had said.

"I found out later that I was misrepresented as playing for the Indian team which I can’t think of doing after the conflict."