Malaysians Assume Two Senior posts in Kabaddi Asia

From P. Vijian

PHNOM PENH, Dec 23 (Bernama) -- Two representatives from the Malaysia Kabaddi Federation (MKF) have been appointed to prominent senior positions within Kabaddi Asia, with roles as vice president and assistant secretary. 

MKF president Dr Paul Selvam Devadoss has been appointed as one of the new vice-presidents of Kabaddi Asia, while MKF Secretary S. Devanathan has taken on the role of assistant secretary for the Asian body.

Asian Kabaddi is under the auspices of World Kabaddi.

Delegates from 14 Asian countries attended the online general body meeting on Dec 22 to select the new line-up ahead of the Kabaddi World Cup in England next year. 

The tournament is slated to take place in Wolverhampton, Walsall, Birmingham and Coventry from March 17-23. 

World Kabaddi secretary-general S.T. Arasu in his address at the meeting believed the new executive body would help strengthen the sport in Asia.

“Asia is the cradle of World Kabaddi and a strong Asia will also reflect on stronger kabaddi worldwide. I am confident Kabaddi Asia will look into the development of kabaddi at all levels.

“Including the conduct of technical and coaching courses to empower the national federations, and also creating an enhanced tournament calendar," said Arasu.

Sheikh A Rahman Mubarak A H Al-Thani of Qatar is the new president of Kabaddi Asia and will automatically be appointed as vice-president of World Kabaddi.

Paul will join Wyman Tang of Hong Kong, China, India’s Ashok Kumar and Anura Pathirana of Sri Lanka as the other vice-presidents, while Singapore’s Maran Chakrapani is the new secretary general and Chinese-Taipei’s Wang Tzu Wen will serve as the treasurer.

The new committee members of the organisation are: Tayyab Gilani (Pakistan), Samiullah Mussaraf (Afghanistan), Shiva Sainju (Nepal), Abed Almonem (Palestine) and Sok Ang (Cambodia).

Arasu said that talks are going on with the All India Kabaddi Federation to host the Kabaddi Asia Championships in 2025.

At the Kabaddi World Cup in England, Malaysia, who finished fourth in the men’s competition in 2019 have been drawn in the same group as hosts England, Poland and Cameroon.

India, which won the men’s inaugural World Cup title held in Melaka in 2019, are the favourites once again to win both the men’s and women’s titles.

World Cup Draws:

Men’s 

Group A: England, Malaysia, Poland, Cameroon.

Group B: Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Scotland, Egypt.

Group C: India, China, USA, Tanzania.

Group D: Pakistan, Taiwan, Italy, Kenya.

Women’s

Group A: England, Hong Kong, Poland, Tanzania.

Group B: India, Egypt, Scotland, Kenya.

-- BERNAMA