Basu, PNEia (NN)) Wrestlers who protested against former WFI chief Briji Bhushan plan to launch professional rebel league in November NEW DELHI: Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Bajrang Punia and his wife wrestler Sangeeta Phogat, the 2018 Gold Coast CWG medalist, are the two prominent faces of the major protest against former National Federation (WFI) chief and sexual harassment allegation Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in the International Rebels League in November this year. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!The professional league, which will be known as “Orka Wrestling League”, is likely to feature other notable wrestlers who were part of the anti-Brij Bhushan agitation group, including two-time World Championship medalist Vinesh Phogat, Rio Olympics bronze medalist Sakshi Malik and 2016 Commonwealth champion Satyawart Kadiana. Speaking to TOI from Sonepat, Bajrang, who will run the league as Chief Wrestling Officer (CWO), informed that eight global franchise-based teams will compete in the inaugural edition of the nearly month-long tournament, which is scheduled to begin around November 20. “Yes, that’s right, we (Bajrang and Sangeeta) are coming up with our own international league. It will start in November this year. The registration of wrestlers will start in August and we will hold an IPL-style auction event in late September or early October. All our brothers and sisters from the wrestling community are welcome to play in the league. A winning team and big money, it will be big money and it will be big sponsors of the league. It will be generous rewarded.It will be a mixed gender match.The first edition will probably take place in one of the big cities. “We are not worried about what the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) thinks of our league. The federation runs its own league, the Pro Wrestling League (PWL). They have recognition from the national federation and the sports global body UWW. But our league is a global event with a strong presence in India. If the WFI wants to look at our league in terms of rivalry or can see it as a direct challenge to PW… Our league management is in touch with several Indian wrestlers and they have expressed their desire to compete. Our league provides professional-level recognition and financial security, whatever Brij Bhushan or Sanjay Singh (current WFI president) thinks,” he added. A top WFI official told TOI that the federation is aware of the development and will soon follow a diktat for wrestlers in the country who are enrolled in the WFI and are part of the national set-up to avoid dealing with the “unsanctioned and illegal” league. “We will take appropriate action when the time comes. Let Bajrang or Sangeeta come with this league. This is an unsanctioned and illegal league. PWL is an official league supported by WFI. We will warn our coaches, technical officials and referees not to associate with this league,” the official said. According to Bajrang, the total money the franchise can spend to buy the team will be around Rs four crore. “Each franchise will have a total of 12 wrestlers, six men and six women, all competing in the Olympic weight classes. The league will first start with men’s and women’s freestyle competitions, with Greco-Roman events added later. For men, there will be competition at 57kg, 65kg, 74kg, 97kg, 86kg. 50kg, 53kg, 57kg, 62kg, 68 kg and 76 kg We work with a total of eight international Orka Sports teams based in the USA (Bajrang and Sangeeta). Each wrestler will be drawn into the auction pool. Wrestlers will be classified in four categories – Grade A is the highest, followed by Grade B, C and D. Grade A will have the highest base price of $35,000, followed by $25,000 (Grade B), $15,000 (Grade C) and $6,000 (Grade D). Bajrang said that he himself will not play in the league as he is the CWO of the league and part of the organizing committee. Bajrang is also facing a four-year ban from the National Anti-Doping Agency (Nada) for refusing to provide a urine sample during the national team selection trials held in Sonepat on 10 March 2024. He was banned for four years by the Nada Disciplinary Committee (ADDP) on 26 November 2024 and his disciplinary decision ended before the ADDP2028 challenge in November. Nada’s Anti-Doping Appeals Panel (ADAP) and the matter is currently under review. Teams:
- Atlas Titans (USA)
- Indra Warriors (India)
- Neo-Tokyo Dragons (Japan)
- TrueNorth Titans (Canada)
- Libre Vanguard (Cuba)
- Britannia Brawlers (United Kingdom)
- Rio Rumble (Brazil)
- Arab Titans (Middle East)
‘OWL’ Lowdown:
- Eight franchises
- 4 million rupees for each franchise’
Contracts:
- Class A – $35,000
- Class B – $25,000
- Class C – $15,000
- Class D – $6,000
Index