Growing differences between the Wrestling Federation of India and the Pro Wrestling League organisers, ProSportify, over various issues, including timely payments and statutory compliances like submission of tax deducted as source (TDS), have led to derailment of Pro Wrestling League Season 5. With no signs of the PWL 2019 edition, it is certain that the competition now cannot and will not take place before the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games next year.
According to English daily The Tribune, ties between the Wrestling Federation of India and ProSportify, the league organisers, have deteriorated rapidly. ProSportify has confirmed that they would not be able to do the league this year.
The WFI and ProSportify have accused each other of breach of their contractual obligations. ProSportify, reportedly irked over the announcement of Zee Kushti Dangal, a State-level competition to be organised by Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited, has taken the matter to court over breach of their rights.
The WFI, on the other hand, had raised the issue of submission of the taxes deducted at source (TDS) on the payments made to the players and officials by ProSportify for their services to the league.
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The WFI had also asked ProSportify to organise the league not later than December 2019 as the wrestlers will then need time to prepare for the Olympic qualifiers, scheduled for February.
The WFI had also asked for the details of the TDS certificates as a majority of the wrestlers, coaches and referees have reportedly complained that they had not been provided TDS details in the last four years.
ProSportify had though denied any wrongdoing on the TDS issue. “They (ProSportify) claim that their franchises and sponsors are reluctant to join hands after getting to know that a parallel league is being started, and so they will not be able to organise the league this year,” the daily has quoted a source as saying.
“As far as I know of the understanding, they can call off the league under one condition only, and that too if all the wrestlers refuse to take part in it. So this claim is strange. It will be interesting to see how WFI reacts to this claim,” the source added.
The paper had also tried to reach out to the founder and promoter of ProSportify, Kartikeya Sharma, but couldn’t reach him.
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