Finally, message sent
Not many knew Gurunath Meiyappan before 2008. And those who did, knew him as the son-in-law of India Cement owner and BCCI official N Srinivasan. Before 2009, Raj Kundra wasn’t a prominent personality either. He was seen on the entertainment pages along with wife Shilpa Shetty.
It was their entry into the IPL — Gurunath as team principal of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kundra as co-owner of Rajasthan Royals — that made them living-room figures. Cameras would be flashed at them each time MS Dhoni hit a six or Shane Warne took a wicket. If Gurunath was the proverbial drunk-on-power franchise official, Kundra represented IPL’s glamour quotient.
Ironically, it’s the two who brought infamy to the board, mired as they were in the spot-fixing scandal. The BCCI’s humiliation was complete, following yesterday’s judgment by former Chief Justice of India RM Lodha.
There’s an interesting aspect about this far-reaching, landmark judgment. Although it has been handed down by the SC-appointed panel, the procedures followed are all part of the BCCI and IPL rule book. So why didn’t the BCCI make a momentous decision and deliver a strong message instead of allowing itself to be humiliated?
Perhaps, when the scandal broke out, following the arrest of S Sreesanth and questioning of Meiyappan, the board thought it could conveniently cover up.
And so Meiyappan was branded a “cricket enthusiast” by Srinivasan; and attempts were made to make people believe that he had no stake in CSK. The board even got a self-appointed two-judge panel to give him and Kundra the clean chit.
And then Aditya Verma launched a crusade against the board; he took them to the SC that appointed Justice Mukul Mudgal to investigate the matter.
Mudgal nailed Meiyappan and Kundra but the BCCI continued to live in denial. Had the board followed its rules, the then BCCI chief Srinivasan would have had to suspend his own team. Lest we forget, the board had suspended teams for offenses such as not paying franchisee fee or trying to change ownership pattern.
Srinvasan’s conflict of interest and the silence of other members from the BCCI’s cosy club meant that the SC, after agreeing that Meiyappan and Kundra were indeed guilty, had to turn to an independent committee to deliver the final verdict and the quantum of punishment and also look into the larger issue of BCCI’s governance and constitution.
The Lodha-panel gave everyone a chance to put forth his case. Kundra said he didn’t know the Indian laws regarding betting as he was a UK citizen. The panel shot the argument down saying: “With so much of information available online, it is very difficult to accept that as a UK citizen.”
Gurunath argued that he was a first-time offender. The panel came down heavily on him saying: “ If the reputation and image of the sport are lost, what remains? Being 40 years of age, he is not young but middle-aged. It is difficult to accept that he has passion for the game.”
The panel also brushed aside India Cement’s argument that they have done so much for the game. Neither did it soften its position on RR who claimed that had been nursing young talent.
It is thought the suspension is harsh on players but in no other way could the panel have made the judgment exemplary.
Meanwhile, there is more agony for the board. Going by the tone and tenor of yesterday judgment, the board is in for tough times. What should the panel decide the constitutional and governance changes? Is this the tip of the iceberg that will sink the Titanic called BCCI?
It was their entry into the IPL — Gurunath as team principal of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kundra as co-owner of Rajasthan Royals — that made them living-room figures. Cameras would be flashed at them each time MS Dhoni hit a six or Shane Warne took a wicket. If Gurunath was the proverbial drunk-on-power franchise official, Kundra represented IPL’s glamour quotient.
Ironically, it’s the two who brought infamy to the board, mired as they were in the spot-fixing scandal. The BCCI’s humiliation was complete, following yesterday’s judgment by former Chief Justice of India RM Lodha.
The Lodha committee banned the duo for life from all cricket-related activities and suspended their teams, CSK and Royals, for two years.
There’s an interesting aspect about this far-reaching, landmark judgment. Although it has been handed down by the SC-appointed panel, the procedures followed are all part of the BCCI and IPL rule book. So why didn’t the BCCI make a momentous decision and deliver a strong message instead of allowing itself to be humiliated?
Perhaps, when the scandal broke out, following the arrest of S Sreesanth and questioning of Meiyappan, the board thought it could conveniently cover up.
And so Meiyappan was branded a “cricket enthusiast” by Srinivasan; and attempts were made to make people believe that he had no stake in CSK. The board even got a self-appointed two-judge panel to give him and Kundra the clean chit.
And then Aditya Verma launched a crusade against the board; he took them to the SC that appointed Justice Mukul Mudgal to investigate the matter.
Mudgal nailed Meiyappan and Kundra but the BCCI continued to live in denial. Had the board followed its rules, the then BCCI chief Srinivasan would have had to suspend his own team. Lest we forget, the board had suspended teams for offenses such as not paying franchisee fee or trying to change ownership pattern.
Srinvasan’s conflict of interest and the silence of other members from the BCCI’s cosy club meant that the SC, after agreeing that Meiyappan and Kundra were indeed guilty, had to turn to an independent committee to deliver the final verdict and the quantum of punishment and also look into the larger issue of BCCI’s governance and constitution.
The Lodha-panel gave everyone a chance to put forth his case. Kundra said he didn’t know the Indian laws regarding betting as he was a UK citizen. The panel shot the argument down saying: “With so much of information available online, it is very difficult to accept that as a UK citizen.”
Gurunath argued that he was a first-time offender. The panel came down heavily on him saying: “ If the reputation and image of the sport are lost, what remains? Being 40 years of age, he is not young but middle-aged. It is difficult to accept that he has passion for the game.”
The panel also brushed aside India Cement’s argument that they have done so much for the game. Neither did it soften its position on RR who claimed that had been nursing young talent.
It is thought the suspension is harsh on players but in no other way could the panel have made the judgment exemplary.
Meanwhile, there is more agony for the board. Going by the tone and tenor of yesterday judgment, the board is in for tough times. What should the panel decide the constitutional and governance changes? Is this the tip of the iceberg that will sink the Titanic called BCCI?
