Supreme Court Paves Way for India's Entry in Senior Asian Kabaddi Championship

The Supreme Court has authorized the newly elected governing body of AKFI to manage operations, ensuring India’s participation in February 2025’s Senior Asian Kabaddi Championship in Iran. The court ordered a transfer of authority from the previous head, while addressing unresolved issues about the elected body’s legitimacy.

In a decisive move, the Supreme Court on Thursday empowered the newly elected governing body of the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI) to oversee its operations, facilitating India's participation in the forthcoming Senior Asian Kabaddi Championship.

A bench of justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh instructed retired Justice SP Garg, the administrative head appointed by the Delhi High Court in 2018, to transfer responsibility to the elected body formed in December 2023.

The court further mandated the governing body to prioritize securing India’s place in the championship scheduled in Iran from February 20 to 25, 2025, emphasizing that the transfer doesn’t imply full court recognition or resolution of outstanding issues regarding the body’s legitimacy. This directive follows a plea by National Kabaddi players Priyanka and Pooja, seeking court approval to compete in the championship. The court set a February 11 deadline for necessary actions to secure the team’s participation.