Misinterpreting court order leads to chaos at Federation’s Kabaddi trials

09/16/2018

The Delhi High Court ordered trial, which was supposed to solve the alleged malpractices in Indian Kabaddi, ended up being a farcical show with no one from the national squads turning up. It was later revealed that the order didn’t even mention a faceoff with the national squad in the first place.

The circus following Indian Kabaddi contingent’s dismal performance at the Asian Games continued on Sunday as chaos reigned supreme at the federation trials in Delhi's Indira Gandhi Stadium that saw both the National Kabaddi Federation of India (NKFI) nor the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI) being present but clueless of what was happening.

India’s loss against Iran led to the coach and the captain blaming each other publicly. It was soon followed by NKFI going to the court alleging that there were rampant malpractices concerning the selection of the Indian teams for Asiad. And the Delhi High Court order clause 9 (i) stated, “The Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India – respondent no 4 shall conduct a selection process which shall commence from 15th September, 2018 at 11 am.”

It was somehow misinterpreted as the NKFI-roped players having a face-off with the national squad of Asiad. The confusion was evident as neither the men’s nor the women’s national team came for the trials which were not scheduled in the first place. The men’s and women’s squads of NKFI, who were picked after conducting trials in Bengaluru last month, looked ready for it match all dressed up and had to return distraught and confused.

When asked petitioner’s lawyer Bharat Nagar about the confusion with the court order, he said, “Well that’s an interpretation. We will submit our prayer that we came for trials but Indian team didn’t turn up,” reported Scroll.

With the main objective far from getting fulfilled, AKFI, the recognized body under Sports Authority of India (SAI), decided to conduct trials of the women’s team from all categories in front of observer Justice SP Garg, while NKFI decided to do nothing. When asked why NKFI didn’t conduct their own trials, a clueless Nagar replied, “But we had come here to play the national team.”

AKFI, however, didn’t go out unscathed or with dignity as their assistant secretary Deoraj Chaturvedi gave hysterical answers. When asked to clarify the court’s order, a defensive Chaturvedi said, “I don’t know what the Court’s order is. You people please read it. Please leave me as I am a paid employee. My post is that of assistant secretary but I am a salaried employee. My job was to get referees and look after arrangements and I have done that.”

When he was asked about AKFI’s next step for the girls who gave trials in the U-16 and U-19 category, Chaturvedi said, “I don’t know.”