The trials for the World Championship has started with controversy, chaos and confusion. The Wrestling Federation of India President Brijbhushan Sharan Singh announced that only those wrestlers will be allowed to compete in the trials who have submitted a hard copy of their contracts with private sponsors. This has created a situation of hesitancy and anguish among wrestlers in the country.
The WFI has claimed that private sponsors like the Olympic Gold Quest (OGQ) and JSW interfere to spoil the athletes and will not let them interfere in the affairs of elite wrestlers in the country. Singh has reiterated that these private sponsors and NGO’s can support the game and athletes but “secret contracts” won’t be allowed under them.
WFI says that they have enough funds due to their main sponsor, Tata Motors and can offer better contracts to deserving wrestlers.
Singh had announced to a gathering in the KD Jadhav wrestling complex at the IG Stadium where the trials are being held that no wrestler will be allowed to compete if they do not submit hard copy documents of their contract details with private sponsors.
As said above, it has created absolute chaos among wrestlers who have stopped practising and are now thinking about what their next plan of action will be. Many wrestlers do not have private sponsors but those who have financial backing and did not want to reveal its details were stumped by these updates from the federation.
The federation has clarified that they could submit an undertaking later but chaos and hesitancy were already created among wrestlers. It is mentioned in that undertaking that if the wrestlers furnish incorrect details, they can be subject to disciplinary measures.
This has created some form of unrest among wrestlers who were already peeved with the federation’s behaviour in regards to Vinesh Phogat and her suspension.
WFI has clarified that they don’t want any unrest and they just want the documents to see how they can improve the contracts of the wrestlers they have.
