India barred from international Kabaddi competitions amid AKFI governance crisis

Citing governance concerns with the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI), the International Kabaddi Federation (IKF) has prohibited India’s Kabaddi teams from competing in any international events.

Following the Delhi High Court’s dissolution of the AKFI in March 2018 over allegations of malpractice, the IKF decided to implement this ban. The IKF claims that because they are unable to guarantee the integrity of Indian teams and players competing in international competitions, the absence of an appropriate regulatory organization for kabaddi in India is the reason for this ban.

India has historically dominated kabaddi internationally, therefore this prohibition is a serious blow to the country’s kabaddi ecosystem. Indian kabaddi teams, both men’s and women’s, are regarded as the sport’s dominant forces after winning numerous World Cup championships. Indian players will miss out on vital experience and exposure due to their inability to compete in international events, which could affect how well the national team performs in the future.

IKF’s Requirements for Good Governance

The IKF has made it clear that the ban will be in effect until India creates a legitimate kabaddi governing body that complies with IKF requirements for good governance. The federation has said that it is dedicated to maintaining the fairness and integrity of international kabaddi tournaments and that teams from nations where there are outstanding political difficulties would not be permitted to compete.

AKFI’s Current Governance Issues

Justice (Retd) SP Garg, the administrator of the AKFI, stated in a statement: “The elections have already been stayed by the High Court. Even if anyone wants to do anything, they can’t do it. Writing a letter to us is useless. We are ready to conduct the election as per the order of the High Court. The order has been reserved and the verdict may come any time. We will follow the directions as per the court.” The matter’s next hearing is set for this Thursday.

The AKFI held elections in December 2023 despite the court-imposed delay in the process, and Vibhor Jain was chosen as the federation’s president and Jitendra Pran Singh as its secretary-general. The administrator is still in charge of the AKFI, meanwhile, because the returning officer made the acceptance of the election results reliant on the court’s ruling.

It is now the responsibility of the Indian government and sports authorities to resolve the AKFI’s governance problems and create a new, open, and responsible kabaddi regulating organization. The IKF’s ban on Indian kabaddi teams won’t be lifted until then, at which point the nation would be able to reclaim its proper position in the international kabaddi arena.

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