Pakistan kabaddi player sports Indian jersey at private event in Bahrain, faces ban after representing India-based team

A kabaddi player from Pakistan, Ubaidullah Rajput, has been banned reportedly after he represented an India-based team at a private competition in Bahrain earlier this month. The decision to ban Rajput came from the Pakistan Kabaddi Federation (PKF) after an emergency meeting took place on Saturday, according to a PTI report.

Based on the report, Rajput also wore an Indian jersey and travelled overseas without obtaining the mandatory No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the federation. Rajput came into the limelight after his photos and videos in Indian jersey went viral on social media.

Rajput competed in the GCC Cup in Bahrain and was also seen waving the Indian flag. PKF secretary Rana Sarwar confirmed that Rajput didn't obtain the required NOC from the federation. Having said that, Rajput can challenge the decision by PKF before the disciplinary committee.

Not only Rajput, several other Pakistani players took part in the same private event in Bahrain without obtaining NOCs. Sarwar informed that they have been fined too.

“He (Rajput) has claimed it was a total misunderstanding and that 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 was quoted as saying by the news agency.

Ubaidullah Rajput issues apology

Clarifying his stance on the whole matter, Rajput issued an apology and stated that he has been misrepresented. The kabaddi player informed that he was invited to play in Bahrain. “But I didn’t know until later that they had named the side an Indian team, and I told the organisers not to use the names of India and Pakistan," Rajput had said.

"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,” he added.

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