The International Kabaddi Federation (IKF), the international governing body for the sport, had denounced the recognition of Kabaddi World Cup 2025, being played under the aegis of the World Kabaddi Federation.
The second edition of the World Cup is happening in the United Kingdom from March 17 to 23.
The IKF, recognised by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and the Asian Kabaddi Federation (AKF), said that the tournament had not been authorised by it.
“The OCA, IKF, AKF, and the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI) have no dealings or engagement with the World Kabaddi Federation or any of its activities,” the Federation said in a statement on Tuesday.
The OCA, the IKF, and the AKF have supervised the medal competitions of kabaddi for men and women at the Asian Games since 1990, and other international kabaddi tournaments.
The IKF has also pointed out that every National Sports Federation (NSF) for Kabaddi affiliated or associated with the National Olympic Federation of their respective country is a member-affiliate of IKF and AKF.
“These authorised NSFs with formal recognition of the Olympic system in their respective countries are not participating in the so-called Kabaddi World Cup 2025 in the United Kingdom,” the IKF said in a statement.
“No national kabaddi federation that participates in the kabaddi medal discipline at the Asian Games is participating in this event. The teams allegedly (mis)representing such countries at the ongoing so-called Kabaddi World Cup in the United Kingdom do not have any sanction from the relevant NSFs for Kabaddi.”
IKF said that the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI), the official body of kabaddi in India, has not recognised the tournament or the Indian team at the tournament.
India has been drawn in Group B in the World Cup and has won and drawn a game each so far, against Italy and Scotland, respectively.
“IKF will further request AKFI to exercise its mandate to suitably and justly deal with the supposed India team in the so-called Kabaddi World Cup in the United Kingdom, including participation in the kabaddi competition and events that are conducted under its custodianship in India,” the Federation added.
