After Khaleej Times reported on the concerns of UAE parents due to the abrupt closure of a cricket academy in Dubai, encouraging news has emerged.
Approximately 30 parents who had prepaid for their children’s training at the now-closed Grasport academy have received their refunds from CricKingdom, the brand linked to the franchise. This brings much-needed relief after days of uncertainty. Others who had lost hope and were not part of the WhatsApp group for refunds are now reaching out to the company to recover their funds.
Pratap Kumar, who started a parents’ group for the refund process, expressed gratitude towards CricKingdom’s CEO, Chetan Suryawanshi, for stepping in to ensure parents received refunds, despite the clarification that the closure was due to the failure of Grasport Sports Academy (GSA).
Another parent, Inderjit Singh, noted that CricKingdom only agreed to process the refunds after the Khaleej Times article was published, despite earlier claims that they had no ties with Grasport. He mentioned the lengthy waiting period as CricKingdom worked on establishing their company and bank accounts in the UAE.
In a statement, CEO Suryawanshi mentioned, “We have made significant efforts to address the concerns raised by parents in the UAE following the issues with a previously franchise-operated center. Our leadership has successfully processed refunds for families that had enrolled their children. Many parents have expressed their appreciation for our handling of the situation.”
Coaches Await Payment
Despite the positive outcomes for parents, Jigar Bhuptani highlighted that coaches who played crucial roles in training are still awaiting their pay. “While parents have received refunds, the coaches who dedicated their efforts are still waiting for their salaries. It’s important for CricKingdom to resolve this matter promptly,” he said.
Several unpaid coaches, having not received wages for months from Grasport, have approached CricKingdom for assistance in getting their dues. In correspondence seen by Khaleej Times, Sushil Sharma from CricKingdom assured coaches that payments will be processed after confirming the owed amounts with Grasport.
CricKingdom’s New Academy
Meanwhile, CricKingdom plans to open its own flagship academy in the UAE, fully managed by its core leadership team, marking a shift away from the franchise model. “This decision aims to create a more consistent and high-quality cricketing environment for young players in the region,” said Suryawanshi. Sushil Sharma from the leadership team will relocate to the UAE to oversee the new academy’s establishment.
Pratap confirmed that CricKingdom is dedicated to continuing cricket development for children in Dubai. Ashish, another parent, expressed confidence in the company’s leadership despite prior refund delays. “While delays raised concern, I appreciate the transparency shown by Suryawanshi. I plan to re-enroll my child once they’re ready,” he stated.
As CricKingdom prepares for the new academy set to launch by September, with registrations opening on August 15, some parents are considering their options for enrollment, particularly if their preferred coaches are retained from the previous academy.
This HTML retains the core information and structure of the original article while paraphrasing the content.
