Opinion Dangerous games
A disregard for rules could have high costs for the IPL and the careers of several young players
In a letter emailed to the BCCI last season, its ACSU chief Ravi Sawani listed instances where players and franchise violated operational rules and the Anti-Corruption Code.
Should anyone even be surprised by the latest shenanigans in the IPL? But the timing and the level of impropriety involved are startling. The fresh spate of incidents — be it the party on a yacht owned by individuals on the International Cricket Council’s anti-corruption radar or a “mystery woman” once associated with S. Sreesanth spending a night in the room of a player — have occurred just one year after the big spot-fixing scandal broke, landing players in prison. Exemplary punishment and public shaming have clearly failed to deter. It shows that the danger of corruption is ever-present, calling for constant vigilance on the part of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
The nonchalance displayed by all the parties involved is immensely worrying. What sort of environment prevails in the IPL that encourages players to casually disregard rules? Perhaps it stems from the franchises themselves. Reportedly, strict rules are in place and every franchise knows right from wrong, but year after year, scandals break out. Clearly, the rules are taken lightly, or the owners of Kings XI Punjab wouldn’t have thrown a party on a property owned by individuals they had been specifically warned against associating with by the Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) of the cricket board. The party might be the least of the problems, but it raises questions about the influence that the yacht owner might wield over the owners of the franchise. Similarly, why didn’t the Delhi Daredevils follow the protocol of informing the ACSU before throwing a party where they invited 100 outsiders to mingle with the players? Perhaps because they didn’t see anything untoward in the matter.
Talk of zero tolerance policies rings hollow if IPL guidelines are so readily disregarded. If the franchises don’t treat guidelines seriously, it’s difficult to expect discipline from the players. The IPL is a great tournament, which has given many domestic cricketers a decent shot at earning a livelihood and winning fame, apart from a chance to play with the best in the world. But unless the board and the franchises are serious about tackling the growing problems, young players are likely to be caught in a web of suspicious elements. Young lives and careers are at stake here. The situation demands close cooperation between the BCCI and the franchises in weeding out threats and creating an atmosphere that allows players to focus on playing exciting cricket.
Share
