In a shocking development, the International Kabaddi Federation (IKF) has said the recently-concluded Kabbadi World Cup was an unofficial tournament and also expressed reservations about the umpiring in the final of the event played between hosts India and Pakistan.
The CEO of the IKF, Deoraj Chaturvedi, said the tournament which was held in India recently was not an officially sanctioned event for which the world body was not approached.
“It was just a tournament held by India in which several teams participated. You cannot call it the ‘World Cup’. We were not approached by the various Kabbadi federations for approval neither did we sanction the event. We do not recognise India as the World Cup winners simply because it wasn’t a World Cup,” Chaturvedi said.
He was also surprised at the decision of the Indian federation to nominate local umpires for the final.
“According to regulations, the umpires officiating in the final cannot be from the two countries that make it to the last two.”
The IKF official said the federation was only moved to issue a statement on the event after the controversy surrounding the final which was won by hosts India.
Indian Punjab’s Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal ordered the formation of a committee to investigate the final after Pakistan captain Ahmed Shafiq alleged that the umpires had favoured India during the match.
Shafiq alleged that the umpires and organising committee misbehaved with the Pakistani players and threatened them.
“If India does not stop this injustice then Pakistan will no longer participate in the event in future,” he had said.