NEW DELHI: The Pro Wrestling League (PWL), whose previous two editions were marred by instances of organisational mismanagement, was on Thursday hit with a fresh controversy.
It all began with a release, purportedly from the management of the Mumbai Maharathi franchise where it was annnounced that the team was being pulled out of the league as they felt cheated by Pro-Sportify, the PWL organisers, and its CEO Sunil Yash Kalra and “have decided to withdraw from the third edition of the PWL with immediate effect”.
A few hours later came another release, this time on the Concede Trading India Pvt Ltd’s letterhead, owner of the Mumbai team, categorically denying any such move. “We were shocked and distressed to see a story circulating in the media that we as a team have withdrawn from the third Pro Wrestling League,” a statement from co-owner Pradeep Sehrawat reads. “We would like to reiterate that we have complete faith in PWL organisers and that they have been conducting this world-class league in a fair and equitable manner. We would also like to apologise to Sunil Kalra, the CEO of the league, against whom fallacious and damaging charges have been made in the name of our team.”
Sehrawat went on to blame Birbal Sports and Entertainment, who they had hired to handle operations, as the source behind the story. “…we have terminated all our relationships with them with immediate effect and relieved them of their duties. Any information circulated by them on our behalf henceforth will have no legal sanction and can be actionable in the Indian courts,” the statement from Concede further reads.
Birbal Sports has however countered that the owners were fully in the loop when the original release was issued. “Only after they gave a go-ahead, the controversial statement was released to the media,” The Tribune quotes a source close to Birbal Sports as having revealed.
Rewinding to the original release, it reads: “While the team management has taken in its stride several instances of mismanagement and operational glitches by the league organisers, they reacted strongly to the incident that occurred at the toss between Mumbai Maharathi and their opponents. After Sakshi Malik won the toss, she opted to block the wrestler in the 74 kg category, but was prevented to so so by the organisers in a clear violation of the rules.
“Sakshi then had no option but to block a wrestler in another weight category and the 74 kg category proved vital in the final outcome of the match, with Mumbai Maharathi losing the tie 3-4 to Veer Maratha.
“According to the rules, one weight category cannot be blocked for consecutive matches and for a total of two out of the five league matches. Mumbai Maharathi had blocked the 74 kg category in their first encounter and now sought to do so in their third encounter, adhering to the rules, but the league organisers stepped in to twist the rules and thwart Mumbai Maharathi.”
While Mumbai Maharathi have declared they are still on board, it is worth noting that five owner groups have walked out of the PWL in the three years that the league has been in existence.
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