The Srinagar based Kabaddi players have alleged that the Jammu based J&K Kabbadi Association has been discriminating with the district Srinagar and has held no activity has been conducted in district since from several years.
A delegation of the players told Greater Kashmir that the Association has been ignoring district Srinagar and association doesn’t exist in Srinagar.
I have been playing Kabaddi since more than 15 years. I started playing it in 1997 and since then I have not played single national event. First we get no information about selection trials and if somehow we manage to reach Jammu for trials then we are being ignored and discriminated in classical style, said Ghulam Javed a senior Kabaddi player.
The Association has not conducted single activity in Srinagar district. We have been approaching both Association officials in Jammu as well their representatives in Kashmir but they never care, he said.
He said a player dreams of starting his performance at District level, then State and go on to play at National level.
Every player dreams of to start his career from grass root level and go on to play at national and International level. However, when custodians of the game don’t conduct District level activity, how a player can achieve dream of reaching national level, said another player Shakeel Akhoon who has been practicing Kabbadi since 15 years.
The delegation also revealed that recently three Kashmir based players were sent for National participation by J&K State Sports Council under Khelo India Programe.
It is first such instance that three Kashmiri players will be playing at national. It was possible because association had no involvement in this event. Sports Council conducted selection themselves and included three players for the event, they added.
The players have appealed J&K State Sports Council and its Secretary Waheed ur Rehman Parra to intervene and help them in securing their future and that of next generation of Kabaddi players.
Both President and General Secretary of J&K Kabaddi Association did not respond to calls.
