By Najiya O, TwoCircles.net
International powerlifter Majiziya Bhanu has qualified to participate in the World Championship being held in Russia in December but is in dire need of funds. She posted a message on her Facebook page that the deal she had with a company which had offered to sponsor her for the championship has been cancelled and so she needed help.
“Since the company which had offered to sponsor me for the world championship has backed off at the last moment and cheated on me, it is now extremely difficult for me to find funds for attending the championship.
“Hence if each of you can help in ways that you can, perhaps my dreams may come true.
“I shall try my best to win in this championship for our country and to realize the expectations of those who have trusted me,” she says in her post, where she has given details of her bank and Google Pay accounts.
Majiziya says that a Malayali businessman in Qatar named Nazeer had offered to provide the funds (which would be about Rs 3 lakh) for her travel and other needs for the championship to be held in Russia. But later, he informed her that he would give Rs 50,000 initially and the rest of the amount could be given only after the championship, which was difficult for Majiziya who needed money for the travel itself.
The sponsor added that he would give her a substantial amount if she went to Qatar and that he was interested in a long-term deal during which period she should not try for any deals with other parties. Majiziya told media that she backed off from the deal as she doubted the intentions of the deal. She also refused to accept the air tickets that the company had booked for her to travel to Delhi to go for the championship.
Seeing her Facebook post on November 20, Majiziya says some women contacted her from Qatar telling they were sexually harassed by the businessman. Majiziya has given screenshots of their messages too in her post giving explanations on November 21. She adds that now she was not only fighting for the Rs 3 lakh but also for the lakhs of poor girls subjected to the dirty fancies of certain men due to their difficulties and responsibilities in life.
Meanwhile, Nazeer refuted Majiziya’s allegations on his Facebook post. He said that when Majiziya approached him for sponsorship of Rs 3 lakh, he had not given any verbal confirmation, and decided to give her Rs 2 lakh after discussion with his board members. But Majiziya refused to sign the agreement and asked for Rs 3 lakhs. His terms and conditions for the deal were clearly stated in the agreement and the payment would be 50% in advance and 50% after the submission of expenses, which was not acceptable for Majiziya. He added in the post that he had asked her to come to Qatar to sign the agreement after he came to know her brother was working there.
In another development, social media activist and charity organizer Firose Kunnamparambil requested on his FB page to help Majiziya in this situation, sharing her post. People have begun to help her individually after seeing the request.
Meanwhile, Majiziya has also hinted towards the role of the ‘Save a Child Foundation’, of which she was the brand ambassador for a few months. She left the organization alleging them of misusing the money they collected in the name of poor children. Since then she has been doing charity works on her own, collecting funds from the public and arranging to deliver it to the needy. However, the Foundation denied her allegations.
Hailing from a village in Kozhikode district, Majiziya Bhanu was the world champion in the 56 kg open category in the world championship held in Russia last year. She is participating in the same category this year too. The championship is held in Moscow from December 12 to 16. Majiziya Bhanu was the winner of a silver medal at the Asian Powerlifting Championship in 2017. She has been the Strong Woman of Kerala for three consecutive years since 2016 when she entered the field of power games.
She has also participated in the World Armwrestling Championship held in Turkey in 2018. Winning the Miss Kerala 2018 title in the Model and Fitness Basic category wearing hijab brought the power girl to the limelight. Since the government is not providing funds, the participants have to find sponsors on their own. However, despite having won international titles, Majiziya finds it difficult to get a sponsor, which she had mentioned in media interviews earlier.