Team India got the better of Kuwait in the final of the 2023 edition of the SAFF Championship at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Tuesday to claim their 9th title in tournament history.
India and Kuwait were tied at 1-1 after extra time and the Blue Tigers edged out the visitors on penalties to earn a hard-fought win.
During the presentation ceremony, team India player Jeakson Singh Thounaojam was seen picking up his winner’s medal while draped in a Kangleipak flag.
The Kangleipak flag is a seven-coloured banner which represents the seven clan dynasties of the Meitei ethnicity of Ancient Manipur.
Jeakson Singh for sure going to create some controversy with this move. The ???????? defender collects his SAFF championships winners medal wearing what I think is the Kangleipak flag which is synonymous with Meitei nationalism pic.twitter.com/MBFYu1pHnp— jonathan selvaraj (@jon_selvaraj) July 4, 2023
The 22-year-old, who hails from Thoubal in Manipur took to his Twitter handle to clarify his actions at the presentation ceremony.
“Dear Fans, By celebrating in the flag, I did not want to hurt the sentiments of anyone. I intended to bring notice to the issues that my home state, Manipur, is facing currently. This win tonight is dedicated to all the Indians,” he wrote.
Dear Fans,By celebrating in the flag, I did not want to hurt the sentiments of anyone. I intended to bring notice to the issues that my home state, Manipur, is facing currently.
This win tonight is dedicated to all the Indians. pic.twitter.com/fuL8TE8dU4
— Jeakson Singh Thounaojam (@JeaksonT) July 4, 2023
Manipur has been experiencing inter-ethnic clashes between the Meiteis and Kukis since May of this year, which has resulted in widespread violence in the state and has led to the demise of over 80 people and mass displacement of the population.
India went behind in the final against Kuwait in the 14th minute as Shabib Al Khaldi netted for the visitors in the 14th minute, but the hosts pulled back on level terms thanks to a 38th minutes strike from Lalianzuala Chhangte.
The match went to extra time after the scores were level at full time, but neither team flinched as they held on to take the game to penalties, which the Blue Tigers ultimately won.
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