Wearing Indian jersey and waving the Tricolour proves costly for Pakistani player, faces major punishment after row

Pakistani Kabaddi Player Faces Ban for Wearing Indian Jersey: A Pakistani kabaddi player has faced severe consequences for wearing an Indian jersey and waving the Indian flag at a private event. Following the viral circulation of visuals, the Pakistan Kabaddi Federation, after an emergency meeting, has imposed an indefinite ban on Ubaidullah Rajput.

A Pakistani player's participation in a private event in Bahrain without obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC) and playing for a team associated with India has led to severe consequences. Visuals of him wearing an Indian jersey and waving the Indian flag went viral, prompting the Pakistan Kabaddi Federation to convene an emergency meeting on Saturday. During this meeting, disciplinary action was taken against the player, Ubaidullah Rajput, resulting in an indefinite ban. Rajput, however, claimed that the organisers misrepresented him and stated that he would never intentionally represent India, especially given the current circumstances.

Emergency Meeting Leads to Major Decision

According to media reports, the Pakistan Kabaddi Federation took disciplinary action against Ubaidullah Rajput following an emergency meeting held on Saturday. The Federation stated that Rajput had travelled abroad to participate in the tournament without an NOC. Rana Sarwar, the Federation's secretary, said that Rajput played for a team associated with India, wore their jersey, and waved the Indian flag after winning the match. Sarwar further added that Rajput has the right to challenge the Federation's decision before the disciplinary committee.

Other Players Also Penalised!

Sarwar revealed that Rajput is not the only one facing action. He mentioned that several other players have also been banned and fined for participating in private tournaments without an NOC. Sarwar further stated that Rajput claimed it was a complete misunderstanding and he was never informed that the team he would be playing for in the private tournament would be an Indian team. However, he is guilty of violating NOC regulations.

Social Media Uproar

Rajput found himself in trouble after videos and photos from the GCC Cup surfaced on social media, showing him wearing an Indian jersey and waving the Indian flag. These visuals caused a significant uproar online. Consequently, the Federation took immediate action and imposed a ban on Rajput after their meeting.

Rajput Apologises

Pakistani international kabaddi player Ubaidullah Rajput apologised, stating that he was invited to play in a Bahrain tournament and was selected for a team he believed to be a private entity. However, he later discovered that they had named the team "Indian Team" and he had asked the organisers not to use the names of India and Pakistan.

He added that in the past, Indian and Pakistani players have played together for private teams in private competitions, but never under the banner of "India" or "Pakistan." He asserted that the organisers misrepresented him and that he would never intentionally represent India, especially considering the current geopolitical climate.