WFI has its way, sports NGO JSW agrees on tripartite contracts with wrestlers

Gonda: The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has reached an amicable agreement with private sports NGO JSW, which can now enter into contracts with the wrestlers but it will be a tripartite arrangement and the national sports body will be a part of it. The WFI had expressed reservations about NGOs like JSW and OGQ offering contracts to wrestlers without involving it. It had also alleged that there was no transparency in the process as these organisations kept the WFI in dark regarding the support being offered to the wrestlers. When WFI made it clear that it will not allow any “backdoor” entry of any NGO into Indian wrestling, the officials from both JSW and OGQ reached out to the national body. It has been learnt that the director of JSW Sports Parth Jindal had three meetings with WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and OGQ also presented a proposal for its support. As per the arrangement, JSW would first seek consent from the WFI if it wants to pick any wrestler for support. If WFI allows, JSW can prepare a draft agreement and send it for perusal to WFI. If the agreement is cleared it will be a tripartite contract among the picked wrestler, JSW and WFI. “Yes we have reached an agreement with the JSW. They are now with us. Parth Jindal came across as a through gentleman, who is passionate supporter of wrestling,” WFI President Brij Bhushan told PTI. Not only supporting the wrestlers, but JSW has also become one of the WFI sponsors. JSW logo will be put on jerseys of the wrestlers and coaches from now onwards along with main national sponsors Tata Motors. JSW got prominent space at the ongoing National Championship in Gonda where many hoardings and posters related to the marquee domestic event had the name of the company, which has committed Rs 3 crore financial support per year as per the deal. It has been learnt that WFI did not find OGQ’s proposal, which committed Rs one crore support per year, good enough. “WFI does not need OGQ,” said a WFI official. Star wrestlers like Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat have got consistent support from JSW and OGQ in the form of dedicated personal support staff such as coaches and physios. The support of sports NGOs has been key in India’s prominent wrestlers’ continuous good show. They attached coaches like Shako Bentinidis and Woller Akos with Bajrang and Vinesh. WFI did not like the fact these coaches were on the payroll of NGOs and had brought Shako under its wings.