New Delhi: Dr Adil Samariwala, a former member of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), has defended the move that requires athletes to seek approval from the governing body before signing endorsement deals.In a circular issued on April 2, the AFI informed its state units, chief coach Radhakrishnan Nair, athlete management agencies, and potential sponsors that athletes would now “require mandatory prior approval from the AFI before entering into any contract or agreement with any sponsor or third party.”
The circular took 6-8 months of consultation with players, coaches and stakeholders before it was implemented before consensus building.“We need to protect our players because most of our players are not really educated. (They) can’t go through a 30-page contract, and they don’t know what. [they’re] Signature They are told, ‘We will give you this much money, sign here.’ Then they don’t get money,” Samariwala told TimesofIndia.com.“There are certain clauses that are not favorable to the player. If the player is injured, he will not be compensated during the period. There are many such clauses. So we look at them and say to the player, please do not sign these contracts.“It’s our duty to protect our players. I don’t see anything wrong,” he continued. The former AFI president chose not to name names where an athlete had been defrauded by a “sub-agent” or sponsor. He said that if the agreement goes well, it will be approved in 2 to 3 days. If not, they will arbitrate with the player and the sponsor, with the costs of the legal process borne by the AFI.He clarified that a player can sign the contract even if the AFI advises against it, but in the interest of ensuring transparency, he will make the invalid clauses public.
We have noticed that some contracts do not have exit clauses. So the player is literally tied for life and never switches to another sponsor. There are others who jump from one sponsor to another every three months.
Dr. Adeel Samariwala
Additionally, if a player chooses to sign a contract without bringing it to the notice of the AFI, they will be subject to disciplinary action.“We will refer them to the disciplinary committee. Why won’t they follow the rule that has been established? If there is a rule and the rule is being violated, there will be a consequence,” Samariwala explained, referring to mandatory SRY testing for athletes in world athletics as a standard.‘Federation not in position to govern personal contracts’
Adeel Samariwala (Getty Images)
The move has been applauded by some and questioned by others, including the agencies that bring in sponsors for these athletes, but one challenge will be making sure it holds up in court.“A player’s career is short-lived – starting in the teens (Roger Federer was signed by Nike at age 13) and usually ending in his late 30s. Well-managed image rights can enable a player to earn much more money than that period. Accordingly, certain ground rules have been made in the game, such as the rule between the player and the 3. (Kohli is endorsing Puma while the Indian cricket team has Nike as their sponsor), which is how sports federations have generally operated and generated revenue in the meantime,” explained sports lawyer Ahana Mehrotra.
The fact that this is being offered in the athlete’s best interest is debatable, as communications between brands and athletes are fairly confidential.
Sports lawyer Ahna Mehrotra
“Sports federations are not in a position to govern personal contracts. Sure, the federation’s participation agreement/terms and conditions may contain reasonable restrictions, such as not fulfilling personal commitments during an event or championship or when called up for national duty or endorsing products that are against national law, but that’s about it.”“The fact that it is being presented in the best interest of the player is debatable, because the communication between brands and athletes is quite confidential. We have already seen an issue between Mohamed Salah (soccer player) and the Egyptian FA, in which Misr Air (airline company) was accused of violating the rules, although this could cause a lot of trouble. Good intentions,” he continued.Samariwala acknowledged that a player is free to take legal action against the AFI if they feel their interests are being harmed by the process.
