GONDA, Uttar Pradesh: Keeping performance as the only yardsticks, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has graded 24 senior players for the central contracts which came into effect from November 15.
The biggest beneficiary are Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Pooja Dhanda who have been put in the ‘A’ category. The others have been divided in four other categories – B to E.
The three marquee wrestlers will get an annual retainership of Rs 3 million, besides other benefits.
At the inaugural ceremony of the Tata Motors 63rd Men’s and 21st Women’s Wrestling Championship at Nandininagar, Gonda, UP, WFI chief Brij Bhushan Saran Singh officially announced the central contracts to the wrestlers. The WFI, thus, becomes first national sports federation under the aegis of the Indian Olympic Association to grant annual contracts to its athletes.
Only, the Board of Control for Cricket in India has been doing this in the past.
Speaking on the occasion, Saran Singh said that 144 grapplers, including those at the grassroots level, will receive funds under different slabs of the scheme. WFI is the only Olympic sport body that has taken such an initiative for the benefit of its wrestlers on the lines of BCCI’s central contract system to its cricket players.
“Wrestling can’t get better than this. The central contracts system is a big boon and will boost our morale,” said Bajrang Punia. Echoing his view, Vinesh said: “It (the money) will motivate us more than ever and it provides a good competition among wrestlers.”
“Our idea is to give maximum benefits to wrestlers, right from the ones who are on national duties and performing consistently to the ones who show the potentials to take this legacy forward. The money will not only give them sustenance but also motivate to keep doing well at all levels, especially internationally,” said the WFI president. “With all their needs addressed and a financially-secured present, the players can freely focus on their training and pursuit for excellence.”
Wrestling icon and double Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar and Rio Games Bronze medal winner Sakshi Malik in Category B will receive Rs2 million each. Grade C has seven grapplers – 2016 Asian Championship Gold medalist, Sandeep Tomar, World Junior Championship Silver medalist, Sajan Beniwal, Vinod Kumar Omprakash, Ritu Phogat, Sumit, Deepak Punia and Asian Games Bronze medalist Divya Kakran. Each one of them will receive Rs 1 million each annually.
Rahul Aware, Naveen, Utkarsh kale, Sachin Rathi, Vijay, Simran, Manshi and Anusha are part of Category D and are entitled for Rs 500,000 each, while Navjot Kaur, Kiran, Harpreet Singh and Jitendra will get Rs 300,000 each, having been placed in Grade E.
The WFI, keeping the future in mind, will support 120 boys and girls, who have been placed in grades F, G, H and I where the U-23, Junior, Cadets and U-15 will reap the benefits for the development and growth programmes. In Grade F, WFI has kept all Under-23 National-level Gold medal winners across all categories and these wrestlers will get an annual stipend of Rs 120,000, thereby each of them collecting Rs 10,000 per month.
Harping on the central contract system, the WFI president said that it gives the wrestlers a guaranteed annual income and “we are ever thankful to Tata Motors, who are on board as the principal sponsors.
The overall grading of wrestlers is purely based on the performances in the World Championships, Olympics and Asian Games, the London and Rio Games as well were taken into considerations.
The contracts handed out to the wrestlers will, in no way, hamper or undermine players’ individuals contracts with their private sponsors. “The wrestlers are free to receive any prize money and grants from other sources,” added the WFI President at the sidelines of the Wrestling Nationals opening ceremony.
