Women Kabaddi World Cup Champs Wait for Auto Rickshaw: Fact Check

Story:

Indian Women Kabaddi World Cup Champions Waiting to Go Home by Auto rickshaw

Other Versions

1. India has won a world cup in Kabaddi. No one came to welcome them….Players are waiting for an auto rickshaw with a world cup in their hand….. A shameful scene to watch….Must share

2. Kabadi world champions who made our country proud…waiting for auto rickshaw to go to their home…no one supporting such game. If you think 1% about other games, then pls share until it reaches inbox of sports minister

Image of Women Kabaddi World Cup Champs Wait for Auto Rickshaw

Fact Check:

A viral picture is often shared online alleging to show the sad plight of Indian Women Kabaddi World Cup Champions waiting for an Auto Rickshaw to go home. With such stories, the picture is in fact doing rounds online since few years. Yes, the claims are unfortunately true – the incident took place back in November 2011.

India’s Women Kabaddi Champions Waiting for Auto Rickshaw

In November 2011, Indian women team won the 2nd World Cup Kabaddi in Ludhiana (Punjab, India) after a thumping victory over England. The group of women Kabaddi players carrying the trophy and a cheque of prize money were seen waiting for public transport to go home. Another picture shows the group leaving in an auto rickshaw. Couple of other pictures from the 2011 Kabaddi World Cup confirm the women players. They did not have any transport facility to return home after winning the Kabaddi world cup.

Criticism on the Incident

Back then the incident drew criticism for not honoring the women players who made India proud in Kabaddi world cup tournament. As per reports, the game organizers did not also pay their hotel food bills on time and for their embarrassment, the hotel staff had to stop the players for two hours while checking out. Couple of days before semi-final match in the tournament, their team bus met with an accident and their clothes got burnt. Reports suggest the players saying the team management did not even arrange new clothes for a week.

Image of Indian Women Kabaddi Players — Indian Women Kabaddi Players

Punjab Sports Director Pargat Singh responded saying it is the organizing committee that made arrangements for the players. “We fulfilled all the demands made by the team management. If the players faced an inconvenient it’s the responsibility of the team management,” he added.

Image of India's Women's Kabaddi team players after winning the 2nd World Cup Kabaddi 2011 in Ludhiana — India’s Women’s Kabaddi team players after winning the 2nd World Cup Kabaddi 2011 in Ludhiana

Kabaddi is quite popular game among men in India, but it is not the same in case of women. Women Kabaddi team is still fighting for proper recognition. Pro Kabaddi League has been conducting professional season games since 2014 with men participant teams across India. In the 4th season of the League in 2016, Women’s Kabaddi Challenge also came up with three teams called Ice Divas, Fire Birds and Storm Queens.