Indian footballer Jeakson Singh Thounaojam issued a clarification for draping the Kangleipak flag following his team's victory over Kuwait in the final of SAFF Championship 2023, which was played in Bengaluru’s Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Tuesday, 4 July.
Jeakson, who hails from the Manipuri town of Thoubal, was seen draped in a Kangleipak flag during the post-match presentations. Notably, the seven-coloured flag happens to represent the seven dynasties of the Meitei ethnicity, which sparked controversy among a section of fans.
With Manipur being engulfed in violence since May, in an ongoing clash between the two local ethnic groups – Meiteis and Kukis – Jeakson’s actions raised questions. The player, however, claimed that by draping the flag, he intended to bring the Manipuri conflicts to everyone’s notice.
“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. I hope that peace returns to my home state of Manipur. Thank you to the fans for coming out and supporting the team tonight!” Jeakson’s statement read.
AIFF Will Not Intrude in the Matter
With some fans demanding the All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) involvement, the federation later released a statement, wherein they said they will not intrude in the matter, with the midfielder having already cleared his stance.
“Since Jeakson Singh Thounaojam has already issued a statement on this (incident) clarifying his position, we are not going to take it forward,” the statement from AIFF read.
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