BCCI to launch in-house anti-corruption unit by next season

We want all our players to understand what anti-corruption is about before these units are implemented in the domestic games, a top BCCI official said.

As early as the start of the next season,Indian cricket is set to have its own anti-corruption unit looking over the domestic game,according to the parent board,the Board of Control for Cricket in India BCCI. But before its installation,the BCCI will ensure that each state association in the country and its respective players go through a seminar on anti-corruption by this July.

Once these mandatory sessions are attended,the BCCI plans to have anti-corruption units in all significant events on the domestic calendar such as the Ranji Trophy,the Duleep Trophy and the Irani Cup,to name a few.

We want all our players to understand what anti-corruption is about before these units are implemented in the domestic games, a top BCCI official said. These sessions will be similar to the ones we had on anti-doping that we conducted a couple of years back. Once the seminars are done,we will go ahead with the next step.

Last year,the Indian cricket board had roped in Ravi Sawani,the former head of the International Cricket Council8217;s Anti-Corruption Security-Unit ACSU. Sawani is said to have assimilated a team which is now ready to join the BCCI.

Part of his job profile is to ensure that there are no unsavoury elements in a cricket ground and also to keep a tab on the movements around the players8217; dressing room. The domestic anti-corruption unit will also work with the local police.

As per ICC8217;s guidelines,it became mandatory for all cricket boards around the world to have their own anti-corruption cells for domestic tournaments. Until now,however,the BCCI had taken the assistance of the ICC to appoint these cells for its local matches.

But with the IPL attracting plenty of negative headlines with regards to spot fixing a handful of local cricketers were banned last season after a sting operation,the BCCI are taking no more chances.

Story continues below this ad

Which is why the modalities are being worked out and we have unit in place now which will see set the standard in our domestic cricket, the source added.

We are aware of the current situation,which is why we believe that it is important to educate the domestic players first. Most of them do not play in the IPL,so it is important that Sawani and his team first conduct sessions at the grass-root level, the source added.

Having our own anti-corruption code will be of big help,especially during an event like the IPL where it had been difficult to keep tab of players and their interactions.