Oman citizen Hasani's job is to protect the Sultan of Oman, but he has taken to playing Kabaddi on his off days
His role is to make 'raids' for Pune side Puneri Paltans in the Pro Kabaddi League, but defence and security is something that comes naturally to Waleed Hasani. Hailing from Oman, Hasani is not a man to be messed with. He works for the Royal Guard of Oman whose function is to protect the Sultan of Oman.
Though Hasani's father is a policeman, he insists that his dad had nothing to do with his decision to join the Royal Guard of Oman. "It was something that I wanted to do, the whole feeling of wearing a uniform for the country is something to be very proud of," said Hasani who has just completed nine years of service with the Royal Guard.
Hasani was introduced to Kabaddi five years ago through a friend who was the manager of a beach Kabaddi side in Muscat. "Knowing how fit and well trained I was, he asked me if I wanted to try my hand out at a game not many people in the country had heard of, let alone played."
Hasani took to the game like a fish to water, so much so that he was part of the Oman team that bagged the bronze medal in the Beach Kabaddi category at the Asian Beach Games held in Oman in 2010.
"Standing on the podium will remain an unforgettable memory. It gave us the confidence to promote the sport on a larger scale," said the father of three. "Beach Kabaddi is slowly gaining popularity in the country but with the sport being played on the mats internationally we've adapted well. Plus our feet burn less," added the Puneri Paltan raider with a laugh.
He trained at Royal Guard Of Oman Technical College, a public and military college in the city Al-Seeb. "I was a keen participant of the 100metres track event while growing up. The rigorous months of training to get where I am today surely has paid off. The participants here are just Kabaddi players, they don't have the training I have. When you're tasked with protecting 'His Majesty', the most powerful man in the country, you can imagine the kind of training we must have had. My combat training allows me to stay focused and keep calm, but it also taught me to strike at the right moment. So you can see why I chose Kabaddi" says the resident of Al-Mudaybi who also possesses a brown belt in Taekwando.
Providing security for Qaboos bin Said al Said, the Sultan of Oman takes up five days of the week for Hasani. But he sees to it that he spends an hour practising Kabaddi with his team-mates or sweating it out in the gym before resuming duty. Getting more than a month's leave didn't seem much of a problem as the ministry of sport in Oman made sure Hasani's approval and necessary documentation was done well in time. "My colleagues from the Royal Guard are extremely proud of what I have achieved. It's a small step in the right direction and I hope there are more Omanis on the flight to India next year."
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