New Delhi, March 19 (IANS) In a statement, the International Kabaddi Federation (IKF) made a firm declaration regarding the ongoing Kabaddi World Cup 2025 in the United Kingdom. The IKF emphasized that this event, being held under the banner of the so-called World Kabaddi Federation (WKF), is not authorized by the official governing body.
As the global governing body for Kabaddi, recognized by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and the Asian Kabaddi Federation (AKF), the IKF stated that the tournament does not fall under its sanctioning, and its activities are not endorsed by any of the organizations responsible for overseeing the official Kabaddi competitions.
The IKF clarified that no national Kabaddi federation affiliated with the OCA or AKF, or any recognized National Sport Federation (NSF) for Kabaddi, is participating in this unauthorized event. These federations, which are responsible for the sport within their respective countries, have not sanctioned the participation of their teams. The statement specifically highlighted that the so-called India team in this event does not have any official backing from the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI), the body that governs the sport of Kabaddi in India.
Further, the IKF urged the AKFI to address this issue appropriately and take necessary action against the India team involved in this unauthorized World Cup. The IKF also called upon other national federations under the AKF and its affiliates to ensure that no teams misrepresent their countries at this event.
The IKF’s strong stance aims to protect the integrity of the sport, ensuring that any Kabaddi competition, especially one involving national teams, is conducted with proper recognition and authority. They have also communicated these concerns to national Olympic bodies, urging them not to be misled into granting sanction or recognition to teams participating in the unapproved Kabaddi World Cup.
–IANS
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