New Delhi: Hours after former Indian wrestlers Sakshi Malik and Geeta Phogat on Monday announced to start Wrestling Champions Super League (WSCL), Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Sanjay Singh decided to distance itself from the competition, and said they won’t sanction the event.
The WSCL is the second professional league for the sport of wrestling in India after the Pro Wrestling League (PWL) was jointly launched by WFI and ProSportify in 2015. The PWL completed four seasons with the last one happened in 2019.
The WFI plans to revive the PWL as some reports suggested the federation took the complete ownership of the six-team tournament by signing a ‘settlement contract’ with ProSportify for Rs 30 crore in 2022, according to news agency PTI.
Though the WFI has no issues with individual wrestlers promoting their own leagues but the federation is keen on resuming the halted PWL.
“We won’t approve it (WSCL). We are reviving our pro wrestling league and hopefully we will have it soon. The wrestlers are free to do their own league, they can promote the game, but we won’t be linked with that,” WFI President Sanjay Singh said, as quoted by news agency PTI.
What is Wrestling Champions Super League?
Rio Olympics bronze medallist Sakshi Malik, along with World Championship bronze medallist Geeta Phogat, announced to start the Wrestling Champions Super League, which is said to develop the skills and strengths of budding grapplers in the country. Sakshi also announced that Paris Olympics bronze medallist Aman Sehrawat will participate in the first season of the event.
“The WCSL, a world class international league, will skill & strengthen our wrestlers to dominate the sport globally by taking on the world’s best in a hyper competitive, expertly supervised environment with best-in-class support systems in place,” Sakshi wrote on her Instagram post.
“This league is a very commendable initiative which will help Indian wrestling greatly and therefore I want to be a part of it and support it fully,” Aman Sehrawat was quoted as saying by Sakshi.
Despite Sanjay Singh’s disapproval to recognise the new league in the rolling, Geeta Phogat said they will have conversations with WFI and government officials to extend their support to them as the sole purpose behind the commencement of their league is the development of young wrestlers.
“Sakshi and I have been planning this League for long. Soon it will take a final shape. We have not yet spoken to the WFI but it would be great if WFI and government support us. It will be the first league that will be operated only by the players,” Phogat said, as quoted by PTI.
“We are doing it for the players, for their benefit. That is the idea and vision, so no one should have any problem with it. It’s a proud moment for us. We won’t stop anyone from getting involved in it, if WFI or government comes on board, even better. We have not yet spoken to them.
“There will be international wrestlers, and coaches involved, so it should help our junior wrestlers. They will get good exposure,” she added.
The Wrestling Federation of India (WSCL) is the second professional league for the sport of wrestling in India after the Pro Wrestling League (PWL) was jointly launched by WFI and ProSportify in 2015. The PWL completed four seasons with the last one happened in 2019. Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
