New Delhi, Feb 24 (IANS): With the Asian Games 2022 around the corner, Chief Executive Officer, Mashal Sports, Anupam Goswami said that the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) will play an important role and will be a great boost for the Indian players who have been missing out on competitive action for almost two years.
"The return of the Pro Kabaddi League comes as a great boost for Indian players who have been missing out on competitive action for almost two years. The successful conduct of PKL Season 8 -- including the team preparation and the high-quality action - will provide crucial match conditioning to the players as they prove their potential at the highest level. PKL has once again delivered fresh new stars - (which is) a testament to the growing stature of the league and an established funnel to nurture and develop future stars ahead of the Asian Games," he said.
As Pro Kabaddi League season 8 is in its last phase, Goswami said that conducting the tournament amid the Covid pandemic was the biggest challenge.
"The effective conduct of the ProKabaddi League Season 8 is a great example of indoor sports and contact sports in India. We have completed 130+ matches on a daily basis without any break from 22nd December. It is an achievement in itself for PKL to reach the Playoffs successfully, with the support of 12 franchises, and the management, especially in the midst of the Covid pandemic that swept the country in December and January," he said.
"The management and the Teams have worked in synergy to provide the best facilities to ensure the health and safety of all personnel inside the biosecure bubble," he told IANS.
Asked about the future of Kabaddi in India, Goswami said, "The PKL has established itself as one of the best kabaddi tournaments in the world. Players like Aslam Inamdar, Mohit Goyat, Arjun Deshwal, Rajnish, have proved themselves time and again throughout this tournament. It is only here where you find the most talented Indian players rub shoulders with their foreign counterparts from across the globe.
"The League has taken great strides in developing these youngsters and polishing their skills. With an experienced staff, coaches, and captains, the youngsters gain confidence and lessons to improve themselves. It will always be our constant endeavour to raise the stature of the PKL and build more heroes through the tournament which will only strengthen the sport and create more options for the Indian national kabaddi team."