Indian kabaddi federation's ban set to lift next month

The international governing body for kabaddi plans to lift the ban on the Indian kabaddi federation next month. This news brings relief to Indian kabaddi players after a court-appointed administrator transferred control back to the elected body of the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI). Vinod Kumar Tiwari, president of the International Kabaddi Federation (IKF), confirmed the ban will end after an executive council meeting planned for next month. The IKF suspended the AKFI in July 2024 due to issues with the governance of the federation. In a February ruling, the Supreme Court instructed the administrator, Justice (Retd.) S P Garg, to hand over control to the newly elected AKFI office bearers. Although the court did not officially recognize the elected body, it allowed Indian players to participate in the Asian Kabaddi Championship-2025 in Iran. Despite the ban, the IKF allowed participation in the upcoming championships. The AKFI has faced issues in the past, including a previous court ruling that put Garg in charge after mismanagement by former officials. Recently, the IKF stated that the Kabaddi World Cup held in London was unauthorized and asked the AKFI to handle the situation regarding the players who participated in that tournament. Tiwari explained that while they cannot stop players from participating in events, the IKF must endorse authorized teams. Tiwari also acknowledged that the AKFI has not held any national tournaments in years. Moving forward, he believes the situation will improve, and plans to organize several championships. Additionally, the IKF is looking to expand kabaddi's reach by introducing leagues in Qatar and Thailand. Tiwari emphasized that promoting the sport internationally is important for its potential inclusion in the Olympics. Discussions are underway to establish a master's championship in Qatar and a league in Thailand, with most franchise owners expected to be from India.