Sakshi Malik and Geeta Phogat unveil Wrestling Champions Super League to boost Indian wrestling
Indian wrestling icons Sakshi Malik and Geeta Phogat have unveiled an exciting new chapter for the sport with the launch of the Wrestling Champions Super League (WCSL). The announcement came on Monday (September 16), with the two decorated wrestlers detailing their vision for the league aimed at elevating Indian wrestling to a global level.
Sakshi Malik, a 2016 Rio Olympics bronze medalist, and Geeta Phogat, who secured gold at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, expressed their collective desire to repay the trust of their supporters by fostering a platform that nurtures the future of Indian wrestling.
In their joint statement, as reported by The Bridge, the two athletes said:
"The only way to repay your trust is to dedicate our sporting talent, experience, grit and success to the service of the sport. The two of us have therefore come together to create the Wrestling Champions Super League (WCSL)."
"In wrestling, are embedded some of Indian sports’ most stirring tales of valour, glory and sense of community. Through WCSL, we will also bring those to life," they added.
With a clear ambition, the duo aims to provide Indian wrestlers with a chance to compete with the best in the world, backed by a system that ensures top-tier training and support.
Sakshi Malik and Geeta Phogat are determined to make WCSL a world-class international league that will challenge Indian wrestlers and prepare them to dominate the sport globally.
They emphasized that the league will operate in a "hyper-competitive, expertly supervised environment with best-in-class support systems in place."
The ultimate goal is to help Indian wrestlers refine their skills and achieve success on the world stage.
In explaining their motivation, the two said:
"Although founded by the two of us, the WCSL is a national mission committed to respecting and working in close partnership with all stakeholders. Winning, after all, is a team sport. Our hearts beat only for India, for Indian wrestling and for Indian sport. Come, let’s build the sporting India of our dreams mil ke, ek saath!"
Aman Sehrawat to join Sakshi Malik, Geeta Phogat
Joining Sakshi Malik and Geeta Phogat in this venture is Aman Sehrawat, who recently clinched a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics.
Fully backing the WCSL, Sehrawat said:
"This league is a very commendable initiative which will help Indian wrestling greatly and therefore I want to be a part of it and support it fully."
The launch of the Wrestling Champions Super League comes at a time when Indian wrestling is undergoing significant changes. Sakshi Malik, who played a prominent role in the 2023 wrestlers' protest, is now looking to drive the sport forward with this new initiative. Notably, her fellow protest leaders, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, have shifted to politics, joining the Congress ahead of the Haryana assembly elections.
The creation of the WCSL marks the first significant league for Indian wrestling since the Pro Wrestling League, which last took place in 2019. That event was initially launched in 2015 by ProSportify and the Wrestling Federation of India. While details about the structure and timeline of the WCSL are still under wraps, the league is expected to fill the void left by the previous competition and provide Indian wrestlers with a platform to thrive.