Lahore - The Indian authorities on Monday claimed they had not approved any team from the country to participate in the Kabaddi World Cup 2020 being played in Lahore, just one day after the players reached here through Wagah border.

The statements caused uncertainty with regards to the position of the Indian team, which is representing India, otherwise. Pakistan Kabaddi Federation rejected the Indian authorities’ claims.

While talking to reporters in Lahore, PKF President Chaudhry Shafay Hussain said the “enemy elements” were responsible for the confusion. “Actually, the Kabaddi World Cup is being held in Pakistan for the first time. It was only held in India before,” he said. “Some enemy elements are conspiring against the event, he said.

The PKF president also warned that a first information report will be lodged against those spreading “false propaganda.”  PKF Secretary Rana Sarwar said that the Indian Kabaddi team was India’s national team and cautioned against mixing sports and politics.

He urged critics to “check the rankings of all the players” in the Indian team. He said that the statements by the Indian officials were a result of internal rifts between national bodies.

In the past, all six-circle-style Kabaddi world cups were hosted by New Delhi with the most recent event taking place in 2016. This year, Pakistan is hosting the event for the first time.

The matches of the week-long tournament will take place in Lahore, Faisalabad, Kartarpur and Nankana Sahib. Other than India, teams from Iran, Canada, Australia, United States, Sierra Leone and Kenya are also participating in the event.