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Indian T20 League: 5 dark secrets of cheerleaders

While the idea of having cheerleaders in the Indian T20 League turned out to be a success, there is a dark side to it as well

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Jennifer
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Cheerleaders have been a part of the Indian T20 league for quite a while now. The main reason for having them was to catalyze the frenzy around the league. While the idea of having cheerleaders turned out to be a success, there is a dark side to it as well.

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Over the years, there have been several rumours about them, and how they have been exploited in one way or another. Thus, the ugly side of having cheerleaders might shock a few fans, as not everyone are aware of the negative parts about having these women cheer for players. Here are five dark secrets of cheerleaders of the Indian T20 league.

1) Payment issues

Contrary to the general belief, cheerleaders aren't paid much. When it comes to the biggest T20 league in the world, there have been several payment issues with respect to them. A few years ago, two Ukrainian cheerleaders who worked for the Rajasthan-based franchise said that they aren't paid on time.

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As a matter of fact, they also complained about issues such as the lack of necessary items, as well as the food. Besides, cheerleaders are mostly accommodated in one-star hotels. Many girls have complained about the hotels and their poor service.

2) After-parties

The after-party culture has had its fair share of criticism. Yet, they are generally conducted so that the players can have a great time. However, some players reportedly start drinking, and go on to inappropriately behave with the present cheerleaders.

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A cheerleader named Gabriella Pasqualotto once said that some Australian and South African players behaved inappropriately after getting drunk. There have been some speculations that the match-fixing discussions took place at these parties. Thus, cheerleaders who have been involved in these parties haven't really had a good experience.

3) Racism

Several cheerleaders have claimed the league's governing council to be racist. Several reports suggest that white-skin girls are preferred, and the organizers don't want black people cheering for players. This has been a noticeable phenomenon during the matches as well.

Some cheerleaders have also stated that the organizers don't want Indian girls to wear certain type of outfits. Some even believe that only white women are hired. Thus, these claims certainly sound shocking.

4) Bollywood connections

India's movie industry is arguably one of the biggest industries out there. Several times, the faces of a few cheerleaders seem familiar. This is because most of them join the Indian T20 league bandwagon through agencies, that have their hands in Bollywood.

In an interview, a cheerleader once said that most of the girls have been featured in Bollywood, as background artists. She even said that opportunities in the Indian film industry help them learn a few Indian dance moves. Bollywood gigs help them get a chance to feature in this league, and vice versa.

5) Treatment received by Indian audience

This is probably one of the biggest issues which cheerleaders have to face. Many times, they have been treated like mere objects by the Indian crowd. As there are a lot of uneducated and uncivilized people who attend games as spectators, they tend to pass derogatory comments.

A cheerleader once said that the audience even undervalue their talent. The lack of respect among the spectators gets really demotivating for the cheerleaders. Thus, this leads to security concerns as well.

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