Pro-wrestling league in Pakistan from this year

KARACHI: Pakistan’s wrestling is expected to receive a great boost as Pakistan Wrestling Federation (PWF) has reached a long-term deal with Strawberry Sports Management, which will hold a pro wrestling league from this year.

“Yes, we have signed an agreement with Strawberry Sports Management for ten years,” PWF secretary Arshad Sattar told ‘The News’ in an interview. “The first edition is expected to be staged later this year,” he said.

It is the same company which is set to organise kabaddi league from this summer in Lahore.

“There will be six teams in the first edition. We have already provided to the organisers a list of wrestlers in eight weight categories who will be part of the draft,” Arshad disclosed.

He said the league would help grapplers and officials and boost PWF financially.

“The organisers will also give the PWF a sum of Rs75,000 per competition,” Arshad said.

He said it would boost wrestling in the country. “It will be of immense importance. We need such initiatives. We have great scope in wrestling in Pakistan but monetary assistance is a must for properly exploiting the potential,” the official said.

He said that the organsiers had told them that the league would be a great success if Indian players were also involved. “I have told them that this year it would be difficult to bring in the Indians but it could be made possible from next year. However, effort will be made to have some grapplers of Iran and other countries which would help the league,” Arshad said.

Arshad said that the PWF had been making every effort to promote wrestling. “We are making concerted efforts to promote the game. We plan to hold Rustam-e-Pakistan Dangal and a top government functionary from Faisalabad has already been contacted for holding the event in the city,” Arshad added.

When asked whether the Pro Wrestling Entertainment (PWE) had approached the federation regarding its planned freestyle wrestling shows which it is going to hold in Pakistan in May, Arshad said that the federation had not been contacted by any one. “No one has contacted us,” he said.

He said he did not know what the PWE would be doing.

He said that if any such activity had been planned, the PWF, the government and Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) should have been contacted.

However, he said that Pakistan did not have any player of that sort of wrestling.

PWE is going to hold freestyle wrestling shows in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad in May in which 25 wrestlers from 20 nations of five continents will show their worth.

About the Islamic Games, Arshad said that Pakistan’s camp was in progress. He added that he was hopeful that the grapplers would perform up to their potential in the Games.

The fourth edition of the Islamic Games will be held in Azerbaijan capital Baku from May 12-22.

Pakistan will be fielding a 200-member contingent in 14 disciplines in the extravaganza. Arshad also revealed that a two-member Pakistan squad would feature in the Asian Championships in New Delhi just before the Islamic Games in May.

“Mohammad Inam and his first cousin Mohammad Bilal will go to India if they are issued visas. After that, they will return to Pakistan and will then be sent to Baku,” the PWF official said.

Arshad also revealed that efforts would be made to hold the National Wrestling Championship and Beach National Championship in Karachi later this year.

“Our main purpose is to spread the game to every nook and corner of the country. Karachi is very important and national events there will help in the game promotion,” Arshad said.