AFI says approval a must for athletes before signing sponsorship agreements

All Indian track-and-field athletes will now have to take approval from the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) before signing any sponsorship agreements.

A circular issued by the federation on Thursday said, “Keeping in mind the best interests of athletes and sponsors, AFI has made it mandatory for athletes to obtain prior approval from the Athletics Federation of India before entering into any agreement or contractual arrangement with any sponsor or third party.”

The circular was addressed to all State units, chief coach Radhakrishnan Nair, Reliance Foundation Youth Sports, JSW Sports, ONGC Sports, Go Sports Foundation, OGQ and other potential sponsors.

“There are agents who keep bringing top athletes to these private organisations. For two months, they’re at one top company and immediately after, they are brought to another. We want to ensure that these private organisations are not being influenced by agents,” said Adille Sumariwalla, the AFI selection committee chairman who is serving as vice-president of World Athletics.

“These agents and some coaches are making money on the side and using athletes as a commodity. We want to ensure that the athletes are not taken for a ride,” added Sumariwalla, a former AFI president.

Welcoming the move, Rahul Trehan, CEO at IOS Sports & Entertainment, said, “In certain cases, the agreements are not balanced. Athletes don’t have the termination clause but the agencies do. So, if the governing body of a sport is doing this to maintain a balance between the athlete and (the sponsors) and to oversee things, it is fine.”

Manisha Malhotra, head of sports excellence and scouting at JSW Sports, argued that athletes should have the right to take decisions about what’s right for them. “I don’t agree with federations trying to control athletes. Those days are gone. The flip side is that athletes are taking the system for a ride and maybe that’s why the AFI is trying to govern that way. So, there’s merit on both accounts. We’ll see whether it’s beneficial to sport or not,” she said.