IPL MATCH FIXING

‘Royals to act against accused trio’

N Srinivasan, the BCCI chief, on Sunday (May 19), said the Indian cricket board would lay down stricter rules to strengthen vigilance and anti-corruption measures to curb spot-fixing. Srinivasan outlined four broad decisions after the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s emergency working committee meeting over the recent arrest of three Rajasthan Royals players, allegedly involved in spot-fixing in Pepsi Indian Premier League matches.

He said the Board would start making the accreditation of all player agents official and a system will be put in place soon to implement the decision. An official of the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) will accompany each IPL team in addition to a security officer and access to the players will be monitored more strictly. Srinivasan also said the BCCI’s final ruling on the players would depend on the report to be submitted by Ravi Sawani, the head of the Board’s own anti-corruption unit.

If the players were found guilty in Sawani’s report, the strictest action would be taken against them and this action would hold even if Delhi Police’s legal proceedings were to find the players not guilty of a criminal offence, the BCCI president added. Srinivisan also said that Sawani and Dr. YP Singh, the head of the ACSU, would guide the BCCI on the steps to be taken to strengthen anti-corruption procedures.

Srinivasan also said that Rajasthan Royals had decided to file a police complaint against the three players, S Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan, who have been alleged by the Delhi Police of indulging in ‘spot-fixing’ in select IPL matches. “We were informed by the management that they intend to file a police complaint against these three players,” he said.

The Delhi Police had arrested Sreesanth, Chandila and Ankeet Chavan of the Rajasthan Royals from Mumbai on Thursday (May 16).

“We (the BCCI) have to observe all canons of natural justice,” said Srinivasan, when asked what actions the Board was contemplating. “I have made it clear in various interviews that we will not hesitate to take the strongest possible action. I need not spell it out today, but it will be very strict. We are not covering up for anybody, the BCCI will not cover up for anyone. But our actions must be fair. We will go through the process and if through it someone is found guilty, we will act and act very sternly.”

Srinivasan promised speed in the BCCI’s internal inquiry, saying, “It will be done very quickly… We may need information from the police, but it will be quickly done. If players are found guilty, we will not hesitate to act very ruthlessly.”

Srinivasan also reiterated that the BCCI hadn’t been given any information that suggested more players were guilty and added, “We can only act against those guilty, not against others.”

Elaborating on the anti-corruption measures put in place before the IPL began, Srinivasan said, “The ICC ACSU is in charge of monitoring this tournament. Before the start of the season, they educated all teams and all players on the do’s and don’ts, on what to do if you are approached, on how to handle it. Whatever is possible to educate and inform players has been done and players have signed saying they have understood everything. They have all been briefed in great detail by the ACSU.”

Srinivasan also rejected the idea of the BCCI coming under the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) act. “We are a private organisation, and we don’t get funds from the government. We are not attached to the government, so RTI won’t be applicable. And in any case RTI is not a solution for what has happened – it won’t stop players from making money (illegally).”

Srinivasan also repeatedly emphasised that the BCCI could only attempt to educate players, and they didn’t have the resources to police bookies, which was for the law enforcement agencies to tackle.

Srinivasan also defended the BCCI and the IPL from the negative publicity the spot-fixing case has generated, and thanked cricket fans. “For the last few days since this news came out, there has been IPL-bashing and BCCI-bashing that has taken place,” he said. “Three players have allegedly indulged in something. We do not believe that it means the whole IPL is gone. We are very grateful to the public who came out in full houses in the last two days. We are grateful that the public came out in support of cricket.”

Later in the day, the Rajasthan Royals management issued a statement, where they said, “We take a zero-tolerance approach to spot or game fixing. The impact on the game, our team, and our franchise has been devastating.

“As such we will be filing FIRs with the Delhi Police, based on the information provided. This will ensure that justice is pursued to its most complete end, and that the police are able to appropriately conduct their investigation. The reputational impact on the franchise, our players, our stakeholders, and the game has been immense. The actions must be punished.

“The authorities have confirmed that the issue relates only to these three players, and we have a squad who have shown extraordinary commitment, and loyalty through an unprecedented set of events. In the quest for information, names have appeared in the media, all of which have been immediately cleared by the authorities. As a franchise, we will protect the good, as well as seek punishment for the bad. We stand firmly with our squad, and will pursue any defamation with the utmost vigour”.

Source : http://www.wisdenindia.com