Pro Kabaddi league all set to kick off
SPORTS
“Pro Kabaddi League can make
Kabaddi an Olympic Sport”
Deoraj Chaturvedi, CEO, IKF
believes that an enthusiastic approach towards the sport by all franchise
owners will put the sport on the global map
With the auction of the Pro Kabaddi
league all set to kick off in the financial capital, Mumbai on Tuesday. Mashal
sports along with the International Kabaddi Federation and the Amateur Kabaddi
Federation of India conducted a day longexercise for all eight franchisees to
build a healthy and succesful league.
In
acontent rich and interactive session which includeda mock auction bythe
traveling gavel, Bob Hayton,Venue Management sessions by joint tournament
Director Preeti Mehta, television and broadcast plans by StarSports, the owners
were briefed on standard auction procedure and the critical steps in setting up
a franchise with a firm eye of investing in the future of the sport.
In
a heartfelt speech, C.E.O of International Kabaddi Federation, Mr. Deoraj
Chaturvedi addressed and thanked the franchise owners for their commitment
towards showcasing the modern sophisticated avataar of the game. Speaking on
the occasion, he said “In the world of sport, where champions are rewarded by
their federation it is often the budding talent that loses out.In our country
we have millions of men and women who play, follow and love the sport, yet it is
only 12 lucky individuals who are given the opportunity to represent the
nation, My concern is for that the rest of the top players who missed the bus.
The introduction of the Pro Kabaddi League will help these players, not only in
their development as an athlete but also to help relieve some of the anxiety
felt by playing a sport that is yet to enjoy the benefit of a strong financial
backing. With the addition of sports in CSR more corporates will come forward
and with their backing we can look to develop facilities and truly march on in
the hope of establishing Kabaddi on the global circuit. The game itself has
thrill, agility, everything a sport needs. What we were lacking, was a
promotional platform.
ProKabaddi has given us this wonderful opportunity to
showcase this action-packed indigenous sport for the world to see.” Continuing
on, on the potential of the sport he added“Kabaddi is now played in 32
countries across the globe, the mandate for a sport to be officially recognised
as an Olympic sport requires 50 playing nations, we are confident that the Pro
Kabaddi League will go a long way in helping us achieve this long standing
dream.”
Radha
Kapoor, CEO of the Delhi outfit said “Kabaddi is a sport that originated in
India, the prospect of promoting a sport that is truly Indian in every sense of
the word was very exciting for us, we look forward to giving back to this sport
what it has over the course of centuries given the country, which is a legacy.
Being a team that comes from the capital always has its pressures but we are
fully committed, not only toward the sport but also towards making a lasting
impact in the lives of the players and the fans alike. We hope to build a
strong community that will reshape the way the city of Delhi approaches the
sport.”
The
eight participating teams comprising the league have been given an equal purse
of INR 60 lac for Category A and B Players. Ninety six players from across 14
countries have been divided into three categories, A, B and C by the Federation
based on prior records and performances. The base price for category ‘A’
players is INR 4 lac and bidding for Category ‘B’ players will begin at INR 2
lac. Category ‘C’ players will be allotted to teams
through a double draw format. The twelfth and final player on the team will be
chosen by the franchise as a ‘State Wild Card’ from a list provided by the
association, who could prove to be a big inspiration for all the youngsters who
aspire to play in the Pro-Kabaddi League.
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