As reported earlier, the Delhi High Court had ordered a trial match between the national team and the players who were not selected for the Asian Games to clear the selection controversy. But the Kabaddi trials conducted by the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI) turned out to be a total confusion when AKFI, following court orders, conducted an open trial where girls from all age groups competed in front of observer Justice SP Garg.
However, during the same time, a rival association New Kabaddi Federation of India (NKFI), arrived at the stadium with a 34-member squad to play a Kabaddi match against the national side. But neither the Men’s nor the Women’s national team came for the trials as it came to light that a Delhi High Court’s order was completely misinterpreted by the petitioners from this new association.
The Delhi High Court order clause 9 (i) states: “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 nowhere mentioned that any national teams are required to take part in the trial process. When the petitioner’s lawyer Bharat Nagar was asked about this misinterpretation, he replied: “Well that’s an interpretation. We will submit our prayer that we came for trials but Indian team didn’t turn up.”
It has been revealed that the NKFI had conducted their own trials in Bengaluru and selected the Men’s and Women’s squads to play the trial match against the national teams. But it has been learnt that most of the players who had come under the rebel association’s banner have not been part of national camp for a long time. We were not sure what was going to happen. We are as much confused as the officials here. We were asked to come, we came,” a player from the squad said.
Besides this confusion, even AKFI office-bearer, assistant secretary Deoraj Chaturvedi who was conducting the open trial for girls in front of the observer, was not aware about the outcome of such procedure. When asked about this, Chaturvedi answered, “I don’t know what the Court’s order is. You people please read it. Please leave me as I am a paid employee. I am only following the Honourable Court’s Order.”
