Yuvraj Singh may meet a Percept in Globosport

Globosport, a sports management agency promoted by tennis player Mahesh Bhupathi, has taken four of its former employees to court as one of them has set up a celebrity management company which looks after the endorsement by cricketers.

Globosport filed a suit in the Bombay High Court in March on the grounds that the employees, while on the company's payroll, intended to set up their own sports management company. It also alleged that they diverted Globosport deals to their soon-to-be-launched agency. The four resigned from Globosport in March.

One of the four employees, Bunty Sajdeh, former vice-president (celebrity management), Globosport, has formed a sport management agency in partnership with cricketer Yuvraj Singh which now handles Singh's account. When contacted, Sajdeh said, "Yuvraj is on the board of Cornerstone Sport & Entertainment, my agency. We have a one-year contact with him. He is not a partner."

Sajdeh refused to comment on the case filed by his former employers.

Globosport Vice-President Anirban Das Blah also refused to comment saying the matter was sub judice.

On April 4, the high court granted the defendants (the former employees) time till April 16 to file a reply.

Globosport had earlier managed to rope in Yuvraj at a minimum guarantee of Rs 100 crore for a six-year deal after his contract with Percept Talent Management terminated in December.

Percept has dragged Yuvraj to court since it had the first right of refusal to renew the contract. Yuvraj won the legal battle and was free to join Globosport. However, he did not sign the contract with Globosport and instead joined Sajdeh's company, which is currently managing his endorsements.

According to sources, Yuvraj owed Rs 30-40 lakh to Globosport for two endorsements "� detergent brand Ariel and Lifebuoy soap "� he did while the agency managed his portfolio, according to sources.

The two endorsements are said to be worth Rs 1.5 crore. Sources added that when Yuvraj opted out, the agency was close to signing Yuvraj for Hero Honda for Rs 22 crore six-year deal. On the behalf of Yuvraj, Sajdeh said, "He is yet to receive the money for his endorsement after which he will dispatch the commission."