Pakistani Kabbadi Player Represents 'Indian Team' In Bahrain, Lands In Massive Trouble

A popular Pakistani international kabaddi player, Ubaidullah Rajput, faces the prospect of severe disciplinary action after he appeared for an Indian team in a private tournament in Bahrain on December 16. Ubaidullah found himself in big trouble after videos and pictures of him wearing an Indian shirt and waving the Indian flag during the GCC Cup went viral. The secretary of the Pakistan Kabaddi Federation, Rana Sarwar, said an emergency meeting of the PKF had been called on December 27, in which the matter would be discussed and a decision taken on disciplinary action against Rajput and some other players.

"I can confirm it was a private event with private teams formed under the names of India, Pakistan, Canada, Iran, etc., in the competition by the organisers. But all the teams had players of their own origin. Indian players represented the Indian private side, and Ubaidullah played for them, which is unacceptable in these circumstances," Sarwar said.

He also claimed that 16 Pakistani players had gone to Bahrain in their personal capacity without taking any permission from the federation or the Pakistan Sports Board.

"So, action will also be taken against these players for falsely playing under the name of the Pakistan team." Rajput has issued an apology and clarified that he was invited to play in the event in Bahrain and was included in 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. I was not under that impression until I found out later that I was misrepresented as playing for the Indian team, which I can't think of doing after the conflict.