Abhinav Bindra seems to be controversy’s favourite child offlate. After his Dad’s non payment of loans, now comes something thats straight at him. His former Manager has issued a legal notice alleging wrongful termination of contract.
The Rifle Association president called him “ungrateful” and now his former manager has threatened to take the ace shooter to court, alleging her contract was wrongfully terminated by the Bindras.
Latika Khaneja’s collage sports management has managed Abhinav Bindra for the better part of last five years. Most of that time was spent in a futile attempt to bring in sponsors.
Now that Bindra’s popularity has gone up, Khaneja alleges that the family stabbed her in the back, especially as the endorsements started to flow in.
“I had initially negotiated the Samsung deal but they started behaving differently after the Gold medal,” Khaneja says.
When contacted the Bindra family refused to comment.
The Bindras believe Khaneja didn’t market Abhinav well and is now trying to piggyback on his Olympic success.
Khaneja however dismisses that claim and says she is determined to drag the Bindras to court.
“I feel that a hero has to behave responsibly,” Khaneja says.
Sources close to the Bindra camp say that the legal threat seems like a desperate move by Khaneja, whose contract was terminated four months ago.
However the Bindras must remember that no sportsmen apart from Cricketers have landed up with endorsement deals. An exception might have been Vishy Anand , but the rest of the lot have been left high and dry. So blaming Latika for not marketing Abhinav well isnt something that she can be accused of. I am sure Abhinav wouldnt have got any deals if he hadnt won any medal at the Olympics. It was the medal that is giving him endorsements and it could be a distinct possibility that Latika could have worked out the deal herself. So its time Abhinav Bindra realises that Latika has done her leg work and compensate her for it.
