‘No mainstream kabaddi player allowed to compete in local events’

KARACHI: Pakistan Kabaddi Federation (PKF) Secretary General Mohammad Sarwar has categorically said that no mainstream player of Pakistan is allowed to feature in any local event unless the government lifts restrictions on body-contact sports.

“No player of Pakistan team is allowed to violate SOPs and participate in any local event,” Sarwar told ‘The News’ on Wednesday.

Sources told this correspondent that some mainstream players of Pakistan have been seen featuring in local level events being held in rural areas of Punjab. But Sarwar said the federation has not heard about any such thing. “We will take action against the players if we get any solid proof. We have not heard that any Pakistani player has played in any local event ,” Sarwar said.

“Yes, we cannot stop local players from featuring in local events,” Sarwar was quick to add.

Almost all Pakistan team players belong to villages of Punjab.

Local level kabaddi events are being held as per routine, a source said. A source told ‘The News’ that Pakistan’s mainstream players did not practise during initial three months of the lockdowns but for the last couple of months they have been practising hard.

Sarwar hoped that the restrictions on kabaddi would be lifted by September 15. “We will prepare a schedule once we learn that the restrictions have been lifted,” said Sarwar, also secretary of Asian Kabaddi Federation (AKF).

He said that they were planning Prime Minister Cup but it would be finalised after the COVID-19 issues had ended.

“You know in this event India and other nations will also feature and so it is premature to say anything concrete about that,” Sarwar said.

In India, too, kabaddi events have not yet been resumed. In a previous interview with ‘The News’, Sarwar had said that because of the COVID-19 pandemic kabaddi players would need at least six months hard training to gain rhythm and be able to take part in competitive events.