Why are the Indian kabaddi teams barred from international tournaments by IKF?
A major setback for Indian kabaddi has come to the forefront recently. The International Kabaddi Federation (IKF) showed its displeasure with the governance of the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI). It was announced on Wednesday, July 3, that the Indian kabaddi teams have been barred from participating in all international tournaments.
The AKFI held administrative elections in December 2023, electing Vibhor Jain as president and Jitendra Pran Singh as general secretary. However, the daily affairs of the body have continued to be controlled by the existing administrator despite the election results. The returning officer has made the results contingent on the outcome of a pending court petition, which has been deemed a violation by the IKF.
IKF sends a letter to IOA barring Indian kabaddi teams from international events
IKF president Vinod Kumar Tiwari issued a letter to Indian Olympic Association president PT Usha, raising concerns about AKFI’s governance and thus barring Indian kabaddi teams from upcoming international events. Here’s how the letter reads:
“This is to bring to your attention that the ‘International Kabaddi Federation’ had earlier addressed letters dated 12.05.2022, 31.10.2022, 01.12.2022 and 13.12.2022 to the Administrator of AKFI, seeking information regarding its elections. In fact, it was also informed to the Administrator of AKFI that the administration and management of the AKFI cannot continue to be under the Administrator for an indefinite period and that a democratically elected body needs to be put in charge of the AKFI.
“It has come to our knowledge that the Administrator of AKFI has conducted the elections to the AKFI on 24.12.2023 and one managing committee has already been elected, yet the management of the AKFI continues to be with the Administrator.
“In this light, it is very clear that the AKFI continues to be under the management of the Administrator, and it does not have a democratically elected managing committee. This is a clear violation of the conditions for affiliation to the ‘International Kabaddi Federation’.
“Therefore, it has been decided that the teams sent by the AKFI shall not be allowed to participate in the 1st Senior World Beach Kabaddi Championship 2024 (Men) to be held in Iran (12 to 18 September 2024) and 6th Asian Indoor and Martial Art Games to be held in Thailand (23 to 28 November 2024).”
The ban on the Indian team's participation in international tournaments is a significant blow to the sport in the country, which has a rich history and a passionate following. Indian kabaddi teams have enjoyed success in international competitions in the past, and this ban will be a major disappointment to fans and players alike.