Loss of pay does not deter kabaddi player Gopu

The Tamil Thalaivas defender prefers delivering on the mat rather than worrying about the prospect of losing money. He is an employee of the Integral Coach Factory here and is forced to take loss of pay leave for about six months courtesy PKL. 

“Kabaddi is life for us. Had we not played it, we wouldn’t be sitting here with a job. To play on the mat is what we crave for and if you can’t do even this (taking leave) for the sport, then what else?,” wondered Gopu on the sidelines of an event hosted by Thalaivas.  Four new teams were added to the PKL roster last year, resulting in increased number of matches. With teams drafting a pre-season plan which runs for about two months, participating players are forced to stay away from work for almost half-a-year.  

“Earlier, because of an eightteam league, we used to have a shorter season. But now, the season keeps going for about three months. The pre-season is there as well. Hence, it becomes even more difficult for us to get leave from our organisations,” said the 30-year-old. While players are ready to suffer the pain of losing money,the Thanjavur-based lad believes they always face difficulty while availing permission for leave. 

“There are issues with regards to sanctioning. It is necessary to get a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from our office. A letter is sent to the Railway Board (in my case) and only when the request is accepted, leave is sanctioned. I have still not got my leave approved for the upcoming edition. I will have to run behind them for it to get processed soon,” remarked the former Telugu Titans player.  

“It would be great if there is a solution as all appointed players suffer because of this,” he added.  Thalaivas’ pre-season is set to begin on August 1 in the absence of captain Ajay Thakur and the overseas players who will be part of the Asian Games. Gopu, who trains for about three hours a day, was snapped up by the Chennai franchise in the PKL 2018 Auctions for the base price of Rs 8 lakh. He felt representing the local side was an added advantage as he grew up playing here. 

“Ahead of the auctions, I was unsure as to whether I will be picked or not. I am delighted to be a part of the Thaliavas team, which happens to be from my home state. My target is to get game-time on the mat and help it win the title,” he signed off.