Journalism of Courage
An upset Sahara Group chief Subrata Roy today vented his anger on BCCI president N Srinivasan and demanded that Chennai Super Kings,which is embroiled in the spot-fixing scandal,should be 8220;scrapped immediately8221; from the the T20 league.
Questioning Srinivasan8217;s conflict of interest in the game,Roy said CSK8217;s contract should be terminated immediately in the wake of franchise owner Gurunath Meiyappan8217;s name cropping up in the spot-fixing scandal.
8220;If a franchise is involved in betting their contract should immediately be scrapped. If a owner is involved in betting it8217;s wrong,8221; he said.
8220;People who rule sports bodies,National Sports Federations NSFs should be clear. A rule should be made that NSFs should be governed by sportspersons.8221;
The Sahara chief stated that it will not sponsor the Indian cricket team as long as the Srinivasan stays at the helm of BCCI.
8220;It8217;s really unfair,sad,irritating and disgusting. The last 13-14 years we had enjoyed such a harmonious relationship with BCCI till Shashank Manohar was there. But after that it is so disgusting,8221; said Roy,the owner of the Pune Warriors franchise which has pulled out of the IPL over financial issues with the BCCI.
8220;We enjoyed such a good relation with BCCI till Shashank Manohar was there.8221;
Asked whether he will reconsider his decision to sponsor the Indian cricket team if Srinivasan is not at the helm,the Sahara chief said,8221;I will say yes to it.8221;
8220;Everything revolves around Srinivasan. He doesn8217;t know how to run a sports body like BCCI. A sports body chief shouldn8217;t have such egoistic attitude,8221; Roy told 8216;Times Now8217;.
8220;This way one cannot work. If Sahara does anything wrong the entire responsibility is on me and if BCCI does anyhting wrong being the president it8217;s his responsibility,8221; Roy said.
8220;One should be at least civil,be courteous. I called him numerous time,even wrote to him but he didn8217;t bother to reply. This is not the way to promote a sport.8221;
Sahara Group pulled out of the domestic Twenty20 league and announced it would not renew its contract with the national team after the board encashed its bank guarantee for non-payment of franchise fee.
Sahara had failed to pay the amount of Rs 170 crore by May 19,but the fact that the BCCI didn8217;t heed to its request not to encash points to a lack of trust between two sides.
The Sahara chief held BCCI responsible for the entire spot-fixing fiasco and said it was betrayed by the Board.
8220;When we took the franchise we have been assured of 94 matches and that8217;s why we have quoted such a big price but later on it was reduced to 64 matches.
8220;I tried to convince him Srinivasan but he didn8217;t listen. He committed but later broke all the commitments. I am sorry to say such a person shouldn8217;t head an important sports body like BCCI,8221; Roy said.
8220;We never defaulted in the last 13-14 years. We were trying our best to get the arbitration done but that was not happening. My legal team even advised me to withdraw after the start of the tournament but I said this is not sporting,8221; he
added.
