An Abbotsford-based Kabaddi tournament organizers were banned by Mission after their disorganized tournament on the grounds of City’s Heritage Middle School was marred by overcrowding, urinating in public and open liquor drinking, forcing Mission to  ban all such events from the City. On July 13, the City of Mission hosted its first-ever Kabaddi tournament, drawing a large crowd, many of whom were from out of town. It was a warm, sunny day filled with anticipation and excitement within the Punjabi community but according to several eyewitnesses, the tournament steadily grew in attendance throughout the day, bringing in hooligans openly urinating and drinking liquor which is a no, no. Mission School District board chair Tracy Loffler told Mission Record newspaper the school district’s primary responsibility is for providing educational facilities for students, and community use must not compromise the site or cause financial or operational burden on the school district. 

By PD Raj – Senior Reporter DESIBUZZCanada

MISSION – An Abbotsford-based Kabaddi tournament organizers were banned by Mission after their disorganized tournament on the grounds of City’s Heritage Middle School was marred by overcrowding, urinating in public and open liquor drinking, forcing Mission to  ban all such events from the City.

On July 13, the City of Mission hosted its first-ever Kabaddi tournament, drawing a large crowd, many of whom were from out of town. It was a warm, sunny day filled with anticipation and excitement within the Punjabi community but according to several eyewitnesses, the tournament steadily grew in attendance throughout the day, bringing in hooligans openly urinating and drinking liquor which is a no, no.

Mission School District board chair Tracy Loffler told Mission Record newspaper the school district’s primary responsibility is for providing educational facilities for students, and community use must not compromise the site or cause financial or operational burden on the school district. 

“On a number of occasions, we have had to close facilities to community use, due to incompatible use or to ensure facilities can be utilized by students as intended. In some instances a whole facility has been closed to user groups for an extended period to allow things like turf repair, floor waxing or replacement, and so on,” Loffler said. 

MPSD's news release noted multiple reported cases of public urination and defecation at the event. Pandher said "claims that people defecated in the trails — along with other inflammatory accusations are completely baseless and made without a shred of evidence."

With limited parking and inadequate washroom facilities at the grounds, this led to significant concerns from local residents and bystanders.

Mission Councillor Ken Herar said he first heard about the event shortly before it began. 

"I was hopeful it would run smoothly for the organizers and the community at large," he noted. 

But as the day went on, Herar began receiving phone calls from residents reporting unsafe parking, overflowing garbage, and excessive noise.

"I didn't think much of it until I received a final call accompanied by a photo. That's when I decided to visit the site to get a better understanding of the situation," he said.

By the time Herar arrived at the event, the tournament had concluded, but many attendees were still on site. 

"I asked to speak to the organizers and shared the concerns I had received. I made it clear that the grounds should be left in better condition than they were found," he added.

As a local elected representative, Herar said he felt obligated to follow up on the concerns raised throughout the day. 

"It would have been irresponsible of me to ignore the complaints brought to my attention by neighbours and community members," he said.

A longtime diversity columnist and founder of Cycling4Diversity, Herar is no stranger to how incidents like this can escalate into broader racial tensions. After taking photos at the site, he posted a public update on Facebook to inform the community that cleanup efforts were underway.

One of the organizers later responded, correctly pointing out that the photos posted had been taken approximately 30 minutes after the event ended. While that may be true, Herar said the focus on timing did little to address the broader concerns. 

"Residents weren't upset about when the photos were taken—they were frustrated that the mess was left behind at all," he explained. "The core issue wasn't the snapshot, but the fact that garbage had been left in such excessive amounts to begin with. That's what people were reacting to." 

Herar also noted that multiple photos were already circulating in online posts during the event itself, further reinforcing the concerns shared by residents.

He soon learned that the issues extended beyond the school grounds. Garbage had reportedly been left in nearby neighbourhoods, there were instances of open drinking, and some spectators were seen urinating in public.

"My intention in posting was to provide transparency and help prevent any division, not just between different communities, but also within the South Asian community," he said. "Unfortunately, what I feared became reality. Residents were very upset in the aftermath.

"I'm deeply saddened to see people feeling disappointed and making negative remarks. Their concerns were valid. They were simply looking for accountability. When that wasn't provided promptly or in the right way, the situation became more tense and, sadly, racialized," he added.

Gurdeep Pandher, one of the event’s organizers, acknowledged the fault of organizers and apologized for the size of the event. He said organizers remain open to feedback and committed to improving future events. 

“We understand that some residents were frustrated by the timing of the cleanup, and while it may not have happened as quickly as some would have liked, crews were on-site shortly after the event ended at 8:30, and the area was addressed promptly,” Pandher told Mission Record. 

The turnout speaks to the value of cultural events like the Kabaddi tournament, organizers said. 

The event garnered a large social media backlash, including racially charged comments targeted at the Punjabi community.

Pandher said some of the online comments that veered into the harmful and racially charged territory have been disappointing.

“Those kinds of remarks are not only unfounded, but deeply unfair to the many families who attended in good faith,” Pandher said. 

But following his post, Herar said he also faced online backlash but from some members of the Punjabi community who questioned his motives. However, others supported his decision to speak out.

"My only motive was to improve the situation and prevent division. My post was not meant to publicly criticize anyone, which I didn't do. But it's incredibly hurtful when people deflect instead of taking ownership," he said.

Herar emphasized his strong support for cultural events such as the Kabaddi tournament. 

“These events play an important role in celebrating heritage and bringing people together." 

He also highlighted the damage caused to public infrastructure.

"Heavy vehicles were driven across school fields containing underground sprinkler systems. Trucks crossed over track curbs that were never designed to handle that kind of traffic."

The Mission School District has since banned all such large events, stating that this event was too large to be hosted again at that location.

"I visited the site in good faith to respond to genuine concerns and to highlight the need for better planning, community engagement, and respect for public spaces," Herar said. "Events held in school fields or residential neighbourhoods must be organized in ways that protect infrastructure and minimize disruption."

Herar's family has been part of the Punjabi community in Mission since 1952. 

"Mission has a proud South Asian history, and I would hate to see it tarnished by incidents like this," he said.

He recalled a past example of community leadership. 

"In 1977, after a stabbing incident between two East Indian men in downtown Mission, the East Indian community took out an ad in the local paper, publicly apologizing to prevent backlash or racism. That was genuine leadership. I applaud our pioneers for paving the way.

"We fully support cultural expression from all citizens. But public safety, disruption, and damage to infrastructure should never be part of the equation," he concluded.

Herar thanked the organizers for their cleanup efforts and their openness to improve. 

"I hope we can work together—with organizers, residents, and city staff—to ensure events like this can continue in the future in a way that brings people together while respecting the spaces we all share."

"Let's continue to build and embrace diversity with care, pride, and mutual respect." Herar said.