Coach manipulates students, parents
A Vavuniya based kickboxing coach has been in the habit of misusing successful kickboxer’s names, overcharging his students and other unethical practices, two personal accounts told the Sunday Times. Inthugadevi Ganesh, a gold medal-winning kickboxer early this year, is one victim and she said her fame, name and popularity has been misused to attract students from her area, Mullaitivu.
Ganesh, who’s win was reported by the Sunday Times exclusively, said, “Since I’m known in this area, he marks the students attending the same class as I go for, attracts and diverts them, driving the desire of taking them to foreign tours and makes money.”
“He even uses the inhumane and the cruel technique of approaching children with only one parent living.”
Of all the money fleeced out so far, amounts range between Rs.100,000 to Rs.600,000. These sums flown in are a mix of foreign sponsorships, and the hard-earned money of the parents of the participants. There are allegations and complaints leveled against the coach for taking them on a ride saying it an international match. However, after the tournament, seemingly professional boxing meets, it emerges, calling it, where players paid for the matches.
“Then, why seek sponsorship” she raised the question.
The Sunday Times could not contact the concerned coach, as he has been in India, since a recently held tournament.
On top of all these, there are allegations of indiscipline of mixing both the genders in hostels. This is particularly when, it is made a point to lodge girls separately from the boys. However, to the dislike and prompting the public to raise questions, in few instances both have been stationed, together.
An advisor for the Mullaitivu Boxing Association (MBA) said, “I had stopped training kids since the pandemic broke. He had claimed he had spoken to Valluvan master, to take children to international tours and sought a lot of sponsorships. Following these, he had charged money from the same kids to send other children. Ultimately, they have only been deceived.”
“When the trainees originally taught by me wanted to say they are my students for media talk shows, they have been warned by him to refrain from saying these as it is the latter who took them on tour,” he explained.
The warning also extended in blackmailing them, if they still tell the truth, they won’t be taken on future tours, the advisor added. On Thursday (7) this week, this developing saga had prompted the MBA to file a Police complaint on behalf of a section of the affected students.