Pakistan Kabaddi Player Indefinitely Banned After Indian Tricolour Gesture

Pakistan kabaddi player Ubaidullah Rajput has been banned indefinitely by the national federation after he featured for India in a private tournament in Bahrain earlier this month.

The Pakistan Kabaddi Federation took the call after an emergency meeting on Saturday, December 27, ruling that Rajput had travelled overseas for the event without bagging the mandatory no-objection certificate from the federation or other concerned authorities.

PKF secretary Rana Sarwar said that Rajput retains the right to appeal the decision before a disciplinary committee.

Sarwar said that the federation was treating the problem seriously, noting that Rajput not only travelled abroad without approval but also represented an Indian team, wore its jersey and was seen

draping the Indian flag around his shoulders after a win.

“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.

Rajput found himself at the centre of a controversy after clips and pictures from the GCC Cup, showing him in an Indian jersey and waving the national flag, went viral on social media.

Sarwar said that other players were also banned and fined for taking part in the tournament without obtaining the necessary NOCs.

Rajput had apologised, stating that he was invited to play in the Bahrain tournament and was part of a private team.

“But I didn’t know until later that they had named the side the Indian team and I told the organisers not to use the names of India and Pakistan. In private competitions in the past, Indian and Pakistani players have played together for a private team but never under the names of India or Pakistan,” Rajput said.

“I found out later that I was misrepresented as playing for the Indian team, which I cannot think of doing after the conflict,” Rajput added.