LAHORE: Pakistan men and women squads returned home on Monday via the Wagah border after winning silver and bronze medal respectively at the Kabaddi World Cup.

The Punjab Sports Board made special arrangements at the Wagah Border to receive the squads.

Pakistan skipper Shafiq Ahmed Chishti, while talking with the media after arriving from India, alleged that India won the final through biased umpiring and he considered his team a winner.

“We are the winners by all means and the discrimination we faced is no secret. Kabaddi lovers all over the world must have witnessed how the final was played and who the true winners are,” Chishti said.

“We were harshly treated by umpires, as they also closed the final before the stipulated time, soon after India took the lead,” he said.

“The umpires, following instructions of authorities, also threatened our players that if they make any objection then they (the umpires) would give points against Pakistan,” he alleged.

Chishti reiterated that Pakistan would not take part in the next World Cup in India if Indian officials did not change their behaviour.

“If India wants to hold such a mega tournament in future then they will have to appoint neutral referees and officials,” the captain stressed.

Chishti dedicated Pakistan’s silver medal to the victims of Peshawar school tragedy.

He said Pakistan team was in deep sorrow but even then they demonstrated great patience and managed to control their emotions during the semi-final and final.

Head coach Ghulam Abbas Butt also lamented that all match officials, including umpires and referees, were Indians.

“There should be neutral match officials in a major event like the World Cup. No Pakistani kabaddi umpire was issued visa by Indian authorities,” he disclosed.

Team manager Waqas Akbar said Indian authorities deliberately refused visa to Pakistani players for recently held World Kabaddi League and Kabaddi World Cup which was injustice.

“We have lodged a written protest before an investigative committee which has assured us of complete justice after thorough investigation,” he continued.

Overall, Pakistan won six matches on the trot on their way to the final.

In the semi-final, Pakistan toppled Iran 56-28 while in the group stage Pakistan thrashed Denmark, England, Canada, Sweden and Argentina to emerge as group leaders with ten points.

Chishti’s men continued their top performance in the final and kept the Indian team under pressure for 35 minutes out of 40-minute game, before losing the final 42-45 in a controversial way.

The event was staged at the Guru Gobind Singh Stadium, Jalandhar.

Punjab Sports director general Usman Anwar, while talking with the media, said excellent performance of Pakistan kabaddi team was being discussed everywhere which was a big success.

“Our team got this status in a short period. Our players did great work and emerged as a leading team of the world,” he said.

Our Sports Reporter from Islamabad adds: The Pakistan Kabaddi Federation (PKF) has decided to approach the World Kabaddi Federation (WKF) against the alleged biased umpiring by India in the final.

PKF secretary Mohammad Sarwar said on Monday that the Indian umpires did whatever they could for ensuring win for their team.

“We have decided to approach the WKF against the worst kind of biased umpiring,” Sarwar told Dawn.

“Even, they (umpires) ended the match before the stipulated time while Indian players played with oiled bodies, which is strictly prohibited under the rules,” he said.

The secretary further said the PKF will plead the case before the world body and request it for neutral umpires in all international matches.

When asked that there are some media reports that the Indian authorities have constituted an inquiry committee to review the final, he said: “I can’t say anything about a local inquiry committee, I would just say that this matter should be taken up by WKF.”

Published in Dawn December 23th , 2014