The Pakistan Kabaddi Federation (PKF) has imposed an indefinite ban on prominent international player Ubaidullah Rajput following his unauthorized participation in the private GCC Cup tournament held in Bahrain earlier in December 2025, where he represented a team labeled as Indian.

Rajput sparked intense controversy and public backlash after viral videos and photographs captured him wearing an Indian jersey, actively playing for the India-linked side, and even wrapping the Indian flag around his shoulders in celebration after a match victory, actions deemed highly sensitive amid ongoing India-Pakistan tensions.

The decision to ban Rajput was finalized during an emergency meeting of the PKF General Council on December 27, 2025, with officials emphasizing his failure to secure a mandatory no-objection certificate (NOC) for overseas travel and competition, alongside the prior revelation that he was already under suspension for a doping-related issue.

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PKF secretary Rana Sarwar acknowledged Rajput's defense of a misunderstanding, stating the player was unaware the private team would be branded as Indian and had requested organizers to avoid national labels; nevertheless, Sarwar stressed that Rajput remains fully accountable for violating NOC regulations and can appeal the indefinite ban to a disciplinary committee.

In a public apology issued prior to the ban, Rajput maintained he accepted an invitation to join a neutral private team and highlighted precedents where Indian and Pakistani players competed together without national affiliations; meanwhile, the federation also imposed bans and fines on several other Pakistani players who participated in the Bahrain event without proper clearances, underscoring a broader enforcement of disciplinary protocols.

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