Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. on Friday dubbed the allegations as a "cheap publicity stunt" and "attempted extortion".
MUMBAI: Rubbishing charges of 'racism' by two cheerleaders contracted to perform for the Mohali IPL team, event management company, Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. on Friday dubbed the allegations as a "cheap publicity stunt" and "attempted extortion".
"Wizcraft has at no time endorsed or supported discrimination against individuals on the basis on gender, colour or nationality," Sabbas Joseph, Director of Wizcraft said here on Friday.
He said the charges levelled against his company by Jorge Aldana and his two dancers were completely baseless and false.
Sabbas said that since the first story broke in a section of Kolkata media on May 20 and later picked up by the other national media, Aldana had communicated to the Wizcraft management his willingness to back down from the racism claim on payment.
"In his (Aldana's) message, he has also threatened to go to the international media should his demand for money was not met," he said.
"In verbal conversations, he has demanded a larger sum, though through SMS he has claimed Rs 4 lakh as compensation. We have evidence of this SMS that was sent by Jorge Aldana to one of the company's directors," Sabbas added.
Sabbas said Wizcraft had made a contract with the Indian agent DJ Akhtar Fazel for providing the cheerleaders' troupe and it has no direct dealings with Aldana or the dancers.
"Hence, Jorge (Aldana) and his company Fierce Performance Productions can have no claims against Wizcraft. Payments for the matches on April 19 and 21 wherein they performed have been made to DJ Akhtar within the due date," Sabbas said.
"Our contract with the Mohali IPL team for providing the cheerleaders squad was terminated after the April 21 match and Wizcraft in turn terminated the contract of the cheerleaders. Wizcraft paid full compensation amount for the cancellation of the contract as per the agreement with the Indian agent."
He said the contract with the cheerleaders was cancelled after the controversy broke out regarding the cheerleaders and their attire. "The decision to terminate the contract was taken by the Mohali team management and Wizcraft judiciously till the issue was resolved," Sabbas said.
Sabbas said Wizcraft was still the brand activation company for the Mohali IPL team.
He said the contract of the entire cheerleaders' squad was cancelled which included the concerned two girls and this was done a month ago.
"These girls were chosen by Wizcraft on the basis of their dance ability. We were aware of the so-called colour differentiation and neither Wizcraft nor the Mohali team management had any problems with it," Sabbas added.
He also expressed surprise that the two girls made the racism claims in the media when no complaint was registered with the Wizcraft management or the Mohali team management or the IPL or any other competent authority.
"Even the agent through whom the troupe was contracted hasn't ever heard of the incident," he said.
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