PKF decides to groom youngsters after Pakistan kabaddi decline

LAHORE: Pakistan have struggled in kabaddi during the best part of the last two decades. Pakistan last won a silver medal in the 2006 Doha Asian Games. In the last four Asian Games, Pakistan got four bronze medals which they claimed in 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022 editions of the quadrennial event.

In order to arrest the decline Pakistan Kabaddi Federation (PKF) has decided to groom its young lot. And in a major step the PKF is set to send 16 top youngsters to Iran on December 28 to groom them. These youngsters will be adjusted in Iran’s various teams which will be engaged in the kabaddi season. Pakistani players will stay in Iran for 60 days and during this time-frame they will compete while representing different Iranian teams in the kabaddi season.

This correspondent has learnt that PKF had approached Iran Kabaddi Federation (IKF) during the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou last summer and it had welcomed the move.

“Yes we are ready to send 16 boys to Iran for training and competitions,” a senior PKF official told The News on Saturday.

“The boys, who we are sending to Iran, were on our radar since long as we also used to invite them to our national camps. We wanted them to learn from the seniors. They are being groomed properly,” the official said.

“Iran is a better destination where our boys will groom well during their kabaddi season. Although it was not easy to materialize such thing but we are thankful to Iran Kabaddi Federation who has backed us a lot in our bid to send the boys there,” the official said.

“These boys belong to the country’s major departments and they are in the age-bracket of 18-22 year and I hope the step will help us a lot in grooming the youngsters for future national duty,” the official said.

It has been learnt that Pakistan will only bear the air-fare expenses of these boys while the rest of the expenses during their Iran’s stay will be met by Iran Kabaddi Federation.

There was a time when Iran used to come to Pakistan for gaining experience but now the neighbouring nation has developed its Asian style kabaadi a lot and they also succeeded in claiming gold in the 2018 Indonesia Asian Games by beating India in the final.

However India were able to beat them in the final of the 19th Asian Games held in Hangzhou this year.

“There are various reasons behind our decline in kabaddi and the biggest hurdle is our economic issues. Unless and until players become professional growth is not possible,” he said. “Diet plays a key role in proper growth of the players and in an era when every citizen of Pakistan is facing economic pressure so it’s extremely difficult for the boys to boost their proper growth,” he said.