As the IPL working committee met for the first time on Monday after the unprecendented ban on Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals by Supreme Court, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) toughened its resolve on ending all potential kinds of conflict of interests through its members or players.
The BCCI recently wrote to all cricket associations to sign an undertaking of ‘no conflict of interest’. The likes of Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, Ravi Shastri, Sunil Gavaskar, VVS Laxman and Anil Kumble would also have to choose between the BCCI advisory role and their commercial interests.
Reports also emerged of at least 5 Indian cricket team players, who will be affected with the ‘no conflict of interest’ clause.
The likes of Laxman, Kumble and Tendulkar currently have lucrative contracts with various franchises in the IPL or connections with firms managing players. These business interests would now clash with their BCCI duties.
The BCCI move comes at a time when the Justice Lodha committee is looking into organisational reforms for the body.
Here is a look at how various sportspersons or cricket administrators could run into conflict of interest problems in the near future.
Anil Kumble: Along with being chairman of BCCI’s technical committee, he is also mentor of Mumbai Indians and founder of Telco, a sports management company.
Sachin Tendulkar: The cricket icon is a member of BCCI’s advisory committee along with being mentor of Mumbai Indians.
Rahul Dravid: The former cricketer is mentor of Rajasthan Royals along with being coach of India U-19 and India ‘A’.
VVS Laxman: He is mentor of Sunrisers Hyderabad along with being a member of BCCI’s advisory committee.
Sunil Gavaskar: He is a BCCI commentator and owner of Professional Management Group, a sports marketing company that promotes upcoming cricketers including the promising Sarfaraz Khan.
(List of players courtesy Indian Express)