Opinion Without exception
For a real cleansing, apply conflict of interest rules to cricket’s players as well as to its administrators
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Just when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has finally woken up to the conflict of interest issue and is trying to get not just administrators but also cricketers to sign up, there are murmurs about whether the players should be excluded. It will be a big mistake if they are. In fact, it will defeat the purpose and efficacy of the clean-up.
If Anil Kumble, for instance, is allowed to run an agency that manages players while he also continues to be mentor to an Indian Premier League team, aren’t his two roles potentially in conflict? Those who bring up his reputation and integrity here are missing the point. In fact, a former player-turned-administrator, Brijesh Patel, who is secretary of the Karnataka State Cricket Association and head, cricket operations, of Royal Challengers Bangalore, has already flagged the problem: Why can’t he hold both positions, he has asked, if Sachin Tendulkar and Kumble are allowed to do so? Recently, Andrew Strauss stepped down from his lucrative job as a commentator with Sky Sports after he was appointed director of cricket for the England team. Players should be able to earn money but it can be nobody’s case that the rules of the game, written and unwritten, must be compromised to let them do so. The onus is also on the BCCI to pay the players handsomely for a position on the board so that they don’t need to don multiple roles to earn a living.
Former player Roger Binny was a selector when his son Stuart was selected for India. Admittedly, he recused himself when the selection of his son came up in the meeting but it would be no exaggeration to conclude that there was pressure on the selectors. Similarly, is it necessary for Sourav Ganguly to hold a position on the board and also be a commentator? Already, the board decides the panel of commentators and doesn’t allow dissenting voices on air. How would Ganguly or, for that matter, anyone who is getting paid to be a BCCI official, discuss issues that show the board in bad light? On one occasion, Ian Chappell didn’t sign up to be a commentator for a series in India as he found that he wouldn’t be allowed to say anything critical of Indian cricket team selection and administration or even simple cricketing issues like the decision review system.
Quite simply, the demerits of allowing players to hold conflicting roles far outweigh any possible benefits.
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