Kabaddi fiasco: Indian team doesn't turn up, confusions galore at federation's trials

Confusion reigned supreme at the trials conducted by the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI), with a rival association's players turning up for a match, that was never scheduled, against the Indian squads.

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 dated August 2, was completely misinterpreted by the petitioners from the rival New Kabaddi Federation of India (NKFI).

The NKFI had conducted their own trials in Bengaluru last month and selected the men's and women's squads with an eye on a trial match against the national teams that took part in the Asian Games.

The NKFI's allegation is that there has been rampant malpractices with regards to selection of the Indian teams for Jakarta Asian Games.

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."
When the petitioner's lawyer Bharat Nagar was asked that nowhere in the court order it is stated that senior India teams need to come for selection trials, he replied: "Well that's an interpretation. We will submit our prayer that we came for trials but Indian team didn't turn up."
When asked that since it was only mentioned trials, why did the players of the rebel body (NKFI), who got all kitted up, not compete against other aspirants, the advocate said: "But we had come here to play the national team."