Hinting at a conflict of interests, Minister of State for Sports Ajay Maken on Wednesday asked the Board of Control for Cricket in India to de-link itself from running the cash-rich Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament in order to ensure a proper probe into spot fixing allegations.
Mr. Maken also urged the BCCI to open up to RTI (Right to Information) to bring about credibility and transparency in the system of running cricket. “They need not submit the accounts to us but they could open their accounts to RTI. This will only enhance the credibility of BCCI.” On the spot-fixing allegations, he said the BCCI “should go into the root cause of the problem. They have to handle the investigation because BCCI is recognised by the ICC to run cricket in India. It is their mandate and they are duty-bound to carry out a responsible job. Suspension of five players is not enough. BCCI has to come out with a long-term solution to sort out this mess,” Mr. Maken told journalists here.
The Minister's comments came on the heels of a TV sting operation, which led to the suspension of five IPL players — Mohnish Mishra, Shalabh Srivastava, T.P. Sudhindra, Amit Yadav and Abhinav Bali — with immediate effect.
On his suggestion that the BCCI keep its distance from the IPL, Mr. Maken cited the example of the English Premier League where clubs, rather than the national football body, run the tournament. “IPL should not be under BCCI. IPL and BCCI should be away from each other so that there is no overlapping of interests,” he said.
Also, “politicians should keep themselves away from running sports federations. Leave the administration of sports to qualified people who can run the sport.”
Keywords: IPL sting, spot-fixing
All his views and remarks on BCCI right from the day he took the charge of ministry are excellent. But they are suppressed by other big wigs in the cabinet..
Though Maken's remarks are valid but I guess he used this opportunity to vent his helplessness in bringing BCCI under sports ministry. The moment cricket is brought under sports ministry, it will go the Hockey way and loose that the BCCI has built in all these years. Politicians should stay away from cricket. BCCI is doing a great job to all parties concerned, players, Indian Cricket & International Cricket, why does the Government want to ruin a successful organization? GOVERNMENT YOU DON'T PLEASE WORRY ABOUT CRICKET IN INDIA. You can get involved if there is any breach of laws of the land.
IPL and BCCI are the biggest thereat to other sports in India, govt should take control of Cricket in India, as its one of the biggest revenue source. Finally someone is speaking out but that will not last for long.
Action please, mere words and suggestions may not work. Kill the issue or it may add up as one of the million issues thats not resolved...
hats off to u sir... great ideas!!! just implement it without delay.
cricket is popular in India and only few other countries...not a global game yet... considering India contingent in olympics represents INDIA (hardly any interst for cricket across the globe)what has the SPORTS MINISTER done to that... in plain nothing... tainted Kalmadi is still running the show and minister cant even get him off blocks :( Agreed BBCI is greedy and money making body... but there is difference between grey and black... BCCI isnt that bad... Sports Minister, please try and correct other issues that is under your control, rather than trying to bring BCCI under you.... i like your plain talking and intentions, but plzz correct other things in your preview before targetting BCCI.... BCCI is cash rich and it will only become a loss making entity and indin cricket will end up WI or Zimbabwe way... if Government starts controlling it....
What is stopping Ajay Maken from doing what he thinks is rigth? I respect him though for his open and frank views.
IPL is BCCI's product and as such no politician can has any right to suggest that BCCI should let go off IPL. I think some disgruntled and jealous politicians, who were unable to partake of the IPL gravy train are now dying to take control of this new cash and glamor rich enterprise by some way or other.
All said and done IPL is a private enterprise (very much like Satyam Computers). If it is a bad product, public will shun it. If it is not profitable, the owners will abandon it. Why should ministers worry about this ?
I must say that it’s surprising to find the Minister for Sports having clear-cut and sensible views on matters related to the BCCI, the IPL and so on. However, it’s shocking to see that he’s not able to or not been allowed to implement his views. As was rightly suggested by other readers the minister should walk the talk. Enforcement is the responsibility of the government.
Opening their accounts to RTI would be a bold move, one that would send a message across the board concerning the integrity of players. Only, if they would go through with it...!
No minister in his right mind would give up his position in the BCCI board for the obvious reasons. He may not be qualified enough, but he is cunning nonetheless...!
In my humble opinion, I feel that the suspended IPL players were just scape-goats in a bid to send a message to all the players. Otherwise, atleast one player of notable stature would have been among the list.
+1 to Ajay Maken if he can walk the talk...
Sports ministry should develop a new team and declare it National
Team of India. BCCI team should be termed as a private Club team and
not allowed to represent India.
The ideas expressed by Mr Maken are commendable but like most of the
cases it will most likely remain just some idea in the pipeline..never
seeing the light of the day....still kudos to him for talking sensibly.
Finally!! Someone is talking sense. But they are only talking when they should get up and get it enforced somehow. Talking does no good...enforcement does!!
After a long time some Cabinet Minister of present govt has done some
plain talking. BCCI should not be under govt control but sure it
should open its account for public scrutiny. Secondly what Minster has
said that politicians should not be running sport organization is very
fundamental. Politicians are not going to resign on their own but there should be a clause in the constitution of these bodies that no Politican who hold any elected office, or is a member of any political party during last 10 years will not be eligible to contest the election of these bodies. Sport bodies shoudl be run by professionals and retired sports people themsleves.
Ajay Maken and Jairam Ramesh: two sensible ministers in the government
Yes. I totally agree with Mr. Maken. It is high time, CBI should involved in this and probe BCCI and people who run the Organization. Everybody is corrupt and spend lots of money under the table to keep in position. Hope time has to proble thoroughly the BCCI run by Mr. N. Srinivasan.
At last one politician talks sense. The BCCI should leave out IPL from it's clutches and the IPL league should be run by sports persons only. BCCI has already gone down badly in all matters relating to cricket administration with political interest e.g. Lulu Prsad Yadav heading one outfit in cricket!!!!!
This amazes one why on the earth a politician who no nothing about cricket would be managing it. The only reason could be the money and influence. There must be transparency and people should be accountable for what is going on and all of these organizations must come under RTI. What is the logic behind leaving these out of RTI? Jai Hind. Satymaev Jayate!
BCCI opening up its account to RTI has long been the demand of people
and sports ministry. They have rejected the demand citing trivial
reasons for e.g impossible to answer RTI queries on player selection
etc. It is cash rich company using India logo and answerable to none
but influential political bosses. Sports ministry should immediately
gain control over them.
Probably the first time someone of his stature is talkng sense about IPL and BCCI
Well said. However, I doubt that relinquishing of IPL from BCCI can take place within minister's own tenure. Keeping distance from IPL will give credibility to BCCI. But what about ICC's wasted interest. They can force international players to stop playing IPL. There must be some sort official cameo BCCI should play to let IPL continue.
Ajay Maken should quit as sports minister.
Vijay Raj
The Minister is talking sensibly when he says that IPL and BCCI should be separate, and IPL should not be under BCCI. Also, he is correct in saying that sports bodies should be under qualified people who can run the same. But, nowadays even politicians have varied interests that they would not vacate the positions being enjoyed.
Please Email the Editor