PKF alters plan after Asian Games postponement

KARACHI: The recent postponement of the Asian Games has forced the Pakistan Kabaddi Federation (PKF) to plan differently to keep the players fit until any major event is held.

Following two years of inactivity due to Covid issues, Pakistan kabaddi players had returned to training but the camp was closed following the postponement of the Asian Games which were scheduled to be held in China from September 10-25.

The PKF now wants to hold a national event by the end of June in Islamabad. “Yes, now we have to plan differently to keep our players engaged and fit,” PKF secretary Mohammad Sarwar told ‘The News’.

“We have almost decided that we will conduct a national event by the end of June and for that every department and province will hold one-month camps,” said Sarwar, also secretary of the Asian Kabaddi Federation (AKF).

“During the event we will pick 20 players who will be sent to Iran for 20 days training and on return we will again go for a national-level event. The basic purpose behind the exercise is to keep the players in shape,” stressed Sarwar, a former Pakistan captain.

“The postponement of the Asian Games is not really a setback. It has in fact provided us enough time to prepare for the quadrennial continental event. We will plan again once the games are rescheduled,” Sarwar said.

He said that there is no international engagement for kabaddi in the next few months. “There is no event in sight yet this year. Yes, there will be an Asian Championship in 2023 which we will try to host and there will be the World Cup of the circle kabaddi in 2024 which again we will try to host,” Sarwar said.

The PKF these days is also facing a tough challenge of doping as seven of its circle kabaddi players failed dope tests recently.