Latest news with #Grasport
Al Etihad
7 days ago
- Business
- Al Etihad
Academies of cricket stars wide off the mark in the UAE
16 July 2025 01:00 Kuumar Shyam (Abu Dhabi)The UAE's fantastic infrastructure for cricket and sports in general is a boon for expatriate families, while star cricketers also love travelling to the Emirates for business and pleasure. Yet, when it comes to coaching academies marrying the two, the sweet spot of success has been week, things came to a head when around 35 families and a few cricket coaches were left in the lurch when branches of Rohit Sharma's CricKingdom Academy at three Dubai schools, managed by local partners Grasport, shut a statement from CricKingdom has insisted it will restart and take a fresh guard, the incident is the latest in a pattern where academies or projects riding on big names such as MS Dhoni, Ravi Ashwin, Yuvraj Singh and even former UAE coach Robin Singh have failed to build an a report by Telecom Asia Sport, a local academy chief Sudhakar Shetty said: 'Parents are sometimes too gullible. They pay hefty fees expecting personal attention from these stars. Disappointment sets in quickly, they pull out their children, and franchise owners are left to cover all expenses. In the long run, sustainability becomes impossible.' Shetty has been running the MaxTalent academy for many in 2016, Dhoni launched his signature centre at Springdale Academy in collaboration with local partners while at the peak of his career. Soon after, Ashwin's Chennai-based GenNext Cricket Academy partnered with Kings' Schools in Dubai. Both have since who followed Dhoni in the captaincy role, also allowed his name to be used as a rubber stamp by people who hoped the name alone would attract students while he was clearly kept busy by his playing schedule. And the academies, often set up with much fanfare and high expectations, promise aspiring cricketers not only expert coaching but also an encounter with their Chakraborty, a former first-division cricketer who was associated both with the Dhoni and Sharma academies, told Telecom Asia Sport that the problem is twofold. 'Firstly, none of the big names have shown the accountability to visit their academies after the inauguration – let alone every few months. The franchise owners soon find the economics of licence fees, facility rentals and coaches' salaries unsustainable.'Among other names, former England cricketers Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff, and Sri Lankan great Aravinda de Silva have also failed to launch academies in the UAE after making initial plans. CricKingdom's four other academies with Sharma in India, Germany, Singapore and Qatar have had no issues. The closures in Dubai came less than a year after the multinational chain CricKingdom ventured out with a Dubai-based company Grasport as partners. Within the first quarter alone, the signs were apparent with coaches going unpaid for months. A statement from CricKingdom is still maintaining that the operation will be revived in a new format, while submitting a detailed timeline to show how they tried to resolve the matter with Grasport, whose founder Suhas Pudota has admitted to the media that he miscalculated the costs and revenues, while offering yet another promise that he will return the dues. While parents will move their children – aspiring to be the next Rohit Sharma – on to other options, most of the coaches, certified by the world body International Cricket Council and who moved to Dubai for this job offer, are now left high and dry without being fully theory, these initiatives bridge the gap between talent-rich regions and professional coaching infrastructure. However, sustainability depends not only on the stature of the cricketer involved but also on the strength of the local partnerships, operational structure and long-term Khan, a long-serving administrator of the Sharjah Cricket Council, believes there is already a strong grassroots ecosystem in the UAE and it is working. 'The Sharjah Cricket Academy, started in 1984, has groomed several national players. There are also committed local coaches in Abu Dhabi and Dubai who have proven their dedication over decades. Running academies by remote control – lending a big name but relying on locals to do all the work – simply doesn't work.'
Pink Villa
09-07-2025
- Business
- Pink Villa
Rohit Sharma's Dubai cricket academy shuts down after poor ‘financial forecast'
What began as a prestigious venture backed by Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma has collapsed within a year. 'CricKingdom by Rohit Sharma,' launched in September 2024 in Dubai, officially shut down operations in May 2025. Marketed as a premium training academy, the project drew in over 35 families with its star-powered branding and elite coaching promises. However, by April, sessions had become irregular and communication had stalled. On May 28, parents were abruptly notified via WhatsApp that the academy was closing—and that refunds would be handled by its operator, Grasport. As of July, neither refunds nor salaries have been paid, triggering complaints to Dubai authorities and a wave of criticism directed at both Grasport and the CricKingdom brand. Coaches unpaid, families in limbo Several ICC-certified coaches, including international players, say they haven't been paid since April or earlier. Assistant coach Tiran Sandun Wijesuriya told Khaleej Times he was unable to pay rent and now faces eviction. Former Sri Lankan player Chamani Seneviratne has reported repeated issues with delayed and incomplete payments since joining in 2024. Ayo Mene Ejegi, the assistant coach who once played on both Serbia's and Nigeria's teams, said he eventually stopped asking altogether: 'I stopped asking... He kept reassuring me, but nothing came of it.' Parents, meanwhile, feel deceived. Many paid for a full year upfront. Deep, whose child enrolled in the program, confirmed that Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism froze Grasport's accounts and license in early July. Another parent, Indrajit, stated that CricKingdom had 'only offered assurances of refunds.' Grasport's exit and Crickingdom's damage control At the center of the debacle is Suhas Pudota, founder of Grasport, who admitted to poor financial planning and unsustainable costs, including AED 50,000 in monthly rent. He stated that 'We had planned for the long term, but rental was a major burden… I should have made the financial forecast, which we lacked.' Despite repeated deadlines, Grasport failed to pay its dues to CricKingdom, resulting in a formal contract termination on June 30. Per the publication, CricKingdom had also warned Grasport as early as March to stop using Rohit's branding until the dues were paid. While Rohit Sharma has not issued a statement, CricKingdom is now working to launch a new, independently operated academy by September 2025. However, rebuilding trust won't be easy, as legal action is still pending and reputational damage has already been done.
Khaleej Times
08-07-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Dubai: Rohit Sharma-fronted cricket academy shuts down; parents, unpaid staff in lurch
What began as a dream opportunity for young cricketers to train under the brand name of Indian cricket star Rohit Sharma has turned into a disappointment for around 35 families in Dubai. Grasport Sports Academy (GSA), launched in September 2024 under the CricKingdom by Rohit Sharma brand, ended operations abruptly in May this year, leaving parents demanding refunds and office staff and coaches unpaid. Started by Suhas Pudota across four Dubai schools, it enticed parents with promises of world-class training, promoting its affiliation with Rohit Sharma and leveraging CricKingdom's international reputation. "We joined with high expectations because of the Rohit Sharma name," said Jithil, one of the first to enrol his child. Pratap, a long-time Dubai resident, added, "The marketing was built entirely around Rohit, with his pictures prominently featured during promotions and trials. We thought the brand would ensure quality." Signs of trouble emerged in early 2025, with the situation worsening in Term 3 (April–June). Despite full-year fees paid by many, classes became irregular, and by mid-May, the academy had effectively shut down. "On May 28, parents were informed through WhatsApp by Sushil Sharma, CricKingdom's global operations head, that Grasport would no longer run the academy and would handle refunds for the remaining sessions," Jithil said. Since then, Suhas has repeatedly promised to clear all dues, as seen in chat messages by Khaleej Times, but no payments have materialised, parents claimed. Coaches, too, were left in distress. Salaries were delayed as early as December 2024, and by May 2025, coaches stopped working altogether. "I have no money to pay my rent, and my landlord has asked me to vacate the room. I have nowhere to go," said assistant coach Tiran Sandun Wijesuriya. "I haven't been paid since May. I pleaded with him multiple times, but all I received were empty promises," Tiran said, sharing proof of their conversations. CricKingdom appointed the coaching team after interviews conducted by Sushil, who flew in from the company's Singapore HQ. They hired six ICC-certified coaches, including former international cricketers. Sushil stayed closely involved, regularly checking in with staff and coaches and monitoring operations. Assistant coach Ayo Mene Ejegi, who played for the Serbian and Nigerian cricket teams, said he is struggling financially, having not received his salary since April. "I stopped asking... He kept reassuring me, but nothing came of it," he said. Coach Chamani Seneviratne, a former Sri Lankan player, said she flagged salary issues to Sushil but got no resolution. "Since I joined in September 2024, I have faced issues with salary transfers. Sometimes, I wasn't paid in full, and since May, the payments have stopped entirely. Almost every week, I ask Suhas to transfer at least a partial amount," Chamani said. How it all unravelled Grasport was operating under a franchise agreement with CricKingdom signed on July 30, 2024. But CricKingdom CEO Chetan Suryawanshi now claims that Suhas failed to pay monthly dues beyond the initial one-time amount. An invoice raised on October 1 remains unsettled despite multiple extensions. "During a subsequent call, Grasport requested time until December to make the payment," Chetan told Khaleej Times. "In January (2025), management considered terminating the agreement due to non-payment. However, after receiving positive feedback from parents and coaches, we decided to give them another chance. "By the first week of March, coaches reported they had still not been paid. Upon escalation — and after sending a closure email on March 14 — Mr Suhas cited financial difficulties and requested time until April to settle the dues. He later requested yet another extension." In an email seen by Khaleej Times, CricKingdom instructed Grasport in March to immediately cease using Rohit Sharma's images and the CricKingdom name until all outstanding payments were settled. By the end of April, Suhas had left the UAE. In a statement to Khaleej Times, he said, "Like everyone, I came to Dubai with a lot of dreams to expand our business in the Middle East. We had an amazing start. From August to January, sessions went well, though the costs were very high. We had planned for the long term, but rental was a major burden: around Dh50,000 per month. I should have made the financial forecast, which we lacked." He acknowledged missteps, including maintaining two non-performing academies which ran up costs, making the situation unsustainable by February. By the time he returned to April to try and raise funds, Suhas said it was too late, and they had to shut operations. New academy To address the crisis, Chetan flew to Dubai on May 21. Discussions with ESM, the local sports facilities provider, confirmed missed payments and restrictions to access facilities. ESM's operations director, David Robinson, declined to confirm this, citing confidentiality. On May 28, on a WhatsApp group with parents, Suhas agreed to settle the dues and assured Sushil that all payments would be cleared by June 30. On May 29, Sushil addressed the parents' group, outlining CricKingdom's plans to open a separate academy and commitment to continue operations independently. Despite stating it had no control over daily operations, CricKingdom acknowledged the reputational damage caused by its association with Grasport. It terminated its agreement with Grasport on June 30, citing unpaid dues and unauthorised use of Rohit Sharma's images. For many parents who chose the academy for their children based on the promise of quality cricket training under a respected brand, the experience has turned sour. Some have since filed complaints with Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (DED). One parent, Deep, said DED informed him on July 4 that Grasport's licence and bank accounts were frozen, with investigations ongoing. In his statement to Khaleej Times, Suhas said: "I should have planned the financials better according to the UAE market, of which I should've had better awareness. I intend to return everyone's pending payments within a week and close all financial matters." CricKingdom is now working to register a new company in the UAE, with plans to resume training in September. "We have assured (parents) that fees will either be refunded or adjusted," Chetan said. A few staff in Dubai have been offered roles in India until local operations are restored. But the academy faces the challenge of rebuilding trust. Khaleej Times spoke to at least a dozen parents, many of whom expressed deep frustration and disappointment. "CricKingdom has only offered assurances of refunds," said Indrajit, a parent. "We're tired of the apologies and assurances," said another parent. "We just want accountability."
