Karachi: A well-known Pakistan international kabaddi player, Ubaidullah Rajput, has been banned indefinitely by the national federation after he appeared for an Indian team in a private tournament in Bahrain earlier this month. The Pakistan Kabaddi Federation (PKF) imposed the ban following an emergency meeting on Saturday, finding Rajput guilty of travelling abroad to play in the tournament without obtaining a mandatory no-objection certificate (NOC) from the federation or other relevant authorities.
PKF secretary Rana Sarwar said Rajput has the right to appeal before a disciplinary committee. Sarwar said the federation took serious note of the fact that Rajput not only travelled overseas without an NOC but also represented a team from India, wore its jersey and, at one point, wrapped the Indian flag around his shoulders after winning a match.
“But he (Rajput) has claimed it was a total misunderstanding and 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 said. Rajput landed in trouble after videos and photographs of him wearing an Indian jersey and waving the Indian flag during the GCC Cup went viral on social media. Agencies