IPL mess : Why so surprised? - Gideon Haigh

[Chandan]

The latest development in this IPL saga is that the suspended IPL "commissioner" Lalit Modi submits his reply to the various charges that BCCI levelled against him. An article by Prem Panicker regarding that: The Dostoyevsky Defense May 16, 2010 prempanicker It’s a good thing the IPL is over and with it, all reason to be concerned about the environment. Six cartons of printouts running into a few thousand pages [i read five newspapers this morning and all of them cite a different figure -- was tempted to hold up the hand of the highest bidder and declare that paper the winner] — what was Modi thinking? Actually, the “IPL chairman and commissioner (suspended)” — trust Modi to use his suspension on his visiting card — and his legal team has been thinking fairly hard. And fairly well. And their response could in time to come be studied by those who study such things, under the title The Dostoyevsky Defense or some such: note that his reply is roughly the size of Crime and Punishment and Notes from the Underground. Combined. You’ve got to love the man. Not only does he bury the BCCI under a mountain of paper while he himself chills in Monaco, he adds a gratuitous barb that it should take a “trained lawyer” like Shashank Manohar only three or four days to go through those six crates. Brilliant. The framing of his defense has been uniformly fascinating. Step one [kind of like castling, say, where the objective was to build a defensive stronghold] was when he demanded that all charges against him be basis documentary evidence. Consider the original charges one more time: “behavioral patterns” is off the board because what the hell kind of documents can the board produce to back that up?; the charge that he tried to muscle Kochi into surrendering the franchise is equally off the table because (a) he is certainly smart enough not to threaten anyone through documented paperwork in triplicate and (b) the minutes of his meetings with the franchise, which IPL CEO Sundar Raman wrote, would only tend to present the picture Modi wished to present. So that is two out of six charges defused. A third relates to the charge of finagling the internet rights to favor family and friends — and on that no one, not the board, not even the various investigative arms of the government, have been able to piece together with appropriate documentation the elaborate shell game through which rights were transfered and re-transfered until they ended up in the ‘right’ hands. So that is three out of six charges defanged even before the disciplinary hearings have even started. The remaining three charges are what Modi and his battery of high priced lawyers have buried under a blizzard of paperwork — and significantly, the papers are supposed to include copies of SMSes sent to “members of the governing council”. That line underscores what has become common knowledge in recent times — that while Modi did not at all times take the governing council in toto into his confidence, he roped in various individual members, including two former cricketers who are part of the council, into parts of various schemes [that also explains why Ravi Shastri and Sunil Gavaskar have, unlike Pataudi, been totally silent on the issue ever since it hit the headlines]. Modi’s strategy is simple, and so is his defense: injured innocence, and a paper trail a mile wide to show that various members of the council knew what he was doing as he was doing it. In other words, he changes the nature of the charges against him. It is not about whether there was irregularity in the granting of franchises to KXIP and Rajasthan Royals — the point, he will argue, is not whether everything was kosher or not, but whether he kept the governing council in the loop while it was all happening. To that end, his argument is, if I informed one member of the council of what I was doing at the time I was doing it, it is tantamount to having informed the whole council. Neat. And not much the BCCI, its disciplinary council, or the IPL governing council can do about any of this. The BCCI still wants him out of the top chair in the IPL — but Modi is, with every step, making it increasingly difficult for the honchos to justify taking the step of removing him. The end game here promises to be even more fascinating than the 12th game of the recent world championship between Anand and Topalov. Hope the matter goes into court and then it becomes so messy that entire governing council is dissolved and the entire thing is properly structured with professional governing members who can be held responsible for their deeds.

[Gunner_Mania]

Hope the matter goes into court and then it becomes so messy that entire governing council is dissolved and the entire thing is properly structured with professional governing members who can be held responsible for their deeds.

Dalmiya took the board to the court, how much has changed after that. Not an iota. Infact we have just moved from one power hungry board to another.

[Precambrian]

What a bs article by Prem Panicker. So what should modi do? Slit his wrists and die just because BCCI **** politicians alleged something against him? He is now criticised for producing proof? and that his detractors don't have solid proof against him?

[thevortex]

What a bs article by Prem Panicker. So what should modi do? Slit his wrists and die just because BCCI **** politicians alleged something against him? He is now criticised for producing proof? and that his detractors don't have solid proof against him?

You again miss the point. Its not about keeping the governing council informed. It is about getting the governing council's approval on such major decisions. How much more obfuscating can this guy get? After all this water under the bridge even the most romantic Modi-fan will not be able to imagine him back as IPL Chairman.

[Precambrian]

You again miss the point. Its not about keeping the governing council informed. It is about getting the governing council's approval on such major decisions. How much more obfuscating can this guy get? After all this water under the bridge even the most romantic Modi-fan will not be able to imagine him back as IPL Chairman.

Yeah, getting approval regarding a business decision from the likes of Ravi Shastri, Sunil Gavaskar etc who have publicly admitted they knew **** all about what there roles or responsibilities even were. Further do you know what are the specifics for such approval? Does it require only a quorom? Where has it been "proven" that Modi had carried out his actions without getting permission from the governing council? What is the basis of power delineation between Modi and Governing Council? Does one such thing exist? Did Governing council conduct periodic review? If they did why no action was taken on such findings? If they didn't why no action were taken against them for their lapses? As I said pronounced guilty before the trial? There is a good chance that Modi might be back, should he be absolved of all charges and franchises demand for his reinstatement following a clean chit.

[thevortex]

Yeah, getting approval regarding a business decision from the likes of Ravi Shastri, Sunil Gavaskar etc who have publicly admitted they knew **** all about what there roles or responsibilities even were. Further do you know what are the specifics for such approval? Does it require only a quorom? Where has it been "proven" that Modi had carried out his actions without getting permission from the governing council? What is the basis of power delineation between Modi and Governing Council? Does one such thing exist? Did Governing council conduct periodic review? If they did why no action was taken on such findings? If they didn't why no action were taken against them for their lapses? As I said pronounced guilty before the trial? There is a good chance that Modi might be back, should he be absolved of all charges and franchises demand for his reinstatement following a clean chit.

Whoa! Slow down, man! These questions ought to be put to the BCCI. Not me. I was commenting on a specific point which mentioned that Modi has SMS'ed about specific decisions that he made regarding the IPL to specific individuals in the governing council. That is not how a governing council is to be treated. That was the point I brought out. Hope you got that. I am sure you and many others want Modi back. The IPL has become a farcical symbol of Indian national pride for some reason. But somehow I think Modi will not be back as 'Commissioner' of the IPL.

[Precambrian]

Whoa! Slow down, man! These questions ought to be put to the BCCI. Not me. I was commenting on a specific point which mentioned that Modi has SMS'ed about specific decisions that he made regarding the IPL to specific individuals in the governing council. That is not how a governing council is to be treated. That was the point I brought out. Hope you got that. I am sure you and many others want Modi back. The IPL has become a farcical symbol of Indian national pride for some reason. But somehow I think Modi will not be back as 'Commissioner' of the IPL.

I am a fan because I believe in people who act, and not just speak words, moan and just let things drift. Modi led the creation of a multi billion dollar business enterprise, an Indian enterprise at that, from scratch within 2 years flat. He did it regardless of stinking buerocracy, backstabbing within BCCI, media ridicule (particularly from overseas), Indian politics, incompetence, economic downturn, pretty much everything. He did not resort to empty rhetoric but action and delivered. His leadership's best test came when faced with pressure from the ruling govt, he transplanted the entire thing to South Africa within a matter of weeks, something unheard in global sports. And he made it there a success. I don't care a feck if he took his cut for that, because that's imho his just reward for having done something virtually unheard of in cricket, if not any sport that we have seen. His successes and managment style has always bordered on the simplistic Sehwag like motto, "see it, solve it". He is a case study for not only young management graduates but pretty much everyone interested in entrepreneurship. We yet don't know what was the regulations regarding the governing council, nor what exactly Modi did or did not. Till some clarity is obtained why make judgements like "that's not how a governing council should function" etc?

[Gunner_Mania]

. I don't care a feck if he took his cut for that, because that's imho his just reward for having done something virtually unheard of in cricket, if not any sport that we have seen. His successes and managment style has always bordered on the simplistic Sehwag like motto, "see it, solve it". He is a case study for not only young management graduates but pretty much everyone interested in entrepreneurship.

You would care a feck about it had you been a share holder in the company and realised that the profit/dividend that you were expecting suddenly disappeared because the CEO took his cut i.e your share of the profit as just reward for doing something. I agree,he would be a case study, except that he would be a case study on how not to run an organisation as a personal fiefdom. On a side note the thing that amused me about Modi's reply was here is an IPL chairman who made so much fuss about the IPL being Green etc etc and then wastes 10,000 or how many ever paper to respond when he might have as well replied via email. sheesh!!

[Precambrian]

You would care a feck about it had you been a share holder in the company and realised that the profit/dividend that you were expecting suddenly disappeared because the CEO took his cut i.e your share of the profit as just reward for doing something. I agree,he would be a case study, except that he would be a case study on how not to run an organisation as a personal fiefdom. On a side note the thing that amused me about Modi's reply was here is an IPL chairman who made so much fuss about the IPL being Green etc etc and then wastes 10,000 or how many ever paper to respond when he might have as well replied via email. sheesh!!

You don't know whether that's "recycle" paper do you? ;), Further proofs are like invoices which exist in hardcopy. Since you've already made your judgement as to Modi is guilty is charged, I may as argue with a wall. Funny the same shareholders (the franchises) with exception of CSK, spent no time in scurrying to Modi's defence.

[Gunner_Mania]

I am not presuming he is guilty as charged, but even a blind bat would tell you that everything that has gone on in IPL is not above board. He will not comeback as IPL chairman irrespective of whether he is found guilty or not. Too many people in power have stuck out their neck and picked him as the one to go and they will want him gone even if it is a compromise. Good point about the recylced papers;)

[achilles]

Over-the-top, brash, stupidity much? 15,000 pages. A print-out on every carton. And the term "Suspended" mentioned everywhere. Whats with all this stupidity? Also, how many of you read this-

"Touched by the solidarity on the streets of Monaco. Touched by the solidarity for IPL. One day F1 too will have IPL following"

Okay, in terms of sheer nos., maybe IPL has a bigger following than F1 but what is all this crap? I know you are upset with the way you've been treated but this over-the-top, brash approach is going to ensure you lose more friends, than gain enemies. :headshake:

[achilles]

I may not buy Lalit Modi's histrionics but I'm willing to concede that "IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO BELIEVE THAT LM DID ALL WITHOUT THE GC's KNOWLEDGE". Its like saying you have a deek but don't know you piss from it. With the open cover-up from the politicians and no mention of a particular party's members in the media anymore, I think the writing is clear on the wall. I hope the entire BCCI are penalised for taking the jerk-off Indian fan for a bloody ride.

[f2000560]

lol 15,000 pages .. i am sure he crammed in an encyclopedia brittannica somewhere in there !

[Nova]

lol 15' date='000 pages .. i am sure he crammed in an encyclopedia brittannica somewhere in there ![/quote'] :hysterical:

[IKnowU]

:hysterical: Those boxes are legendary!!!!!!!

[goose]

more like 15,000 $ notes.

[thevortex]

I am a fan because I believe in people who act, and not just speak words, moan and just let things drift. Modi led the creation of a multi billion dollar business enterprise, an Indian enterprise at that, from scratch within 2 years flat. He did it regardless of stinking buerocracy, backstabbing within BCCI, media ridicule (particularly from overseas), Indian politics, incompetence, economic downturn, pretty much everything. He did not resort to empty rhetoric but action and delivered. His leadership's best test came when faced with pressure from the ruling govt, he transplanted the entire thing to South Africa within a matter of weeks, something unheard in global sports. And he made it there a success. I don't care a feck if he took his cut for that, because that's imho his just reward for having done something virtually unheard of in cricket, if not any sport that we have seen. His successes and managment style has always bordered on the simplistic Sehwag like motto, "see it, solve it". He is a case study for not only young management graduates but pretty much everyone interested in entrepreneurship. We yet don't know what was the regulations regarding the governing council, nor what exactly Modi did or did not. Till some clarity is obtained why make judgements like "that's not how a governing council should function" etc?

OK Precambrian in this one post, you have put in exactly everything that is wrong with Modi-deifiying! The world today is bothered about ends and not the means. But then in the long run without proper means, your ends will all be tainted and in time they will be shattered. That is what has happened to Modi. A quick solution, a short cut - that is what is so desirable in our country. Thats because we have insane numbers of people competing for a very small pool of resources. Be it on the road or on the corporate ladder. It is push and shove for everything. Yes, Modi found his short cuts. He is cunning. We need to learn to distinguish between intelligence, wisdom and cunning. I do NOT agree about Modi being made a case study for management graduates. The concept is interesting. And yes, there is a lot to learn from the man in terms of go-get it attitude. But to me he is not a character worth emulating. By the way management styles cannot follow a 'see it solve it' procedure because that would mean that all managerial direction, initiative and therefore nous sits on individual(s). The whole concept of management is to have documentation and to make the company perennial and the individual irrelevant. As shattering as this may be to Modi and his fans, that is something he has not done. He has done the classic Indian thing. He has tried to make himself irreplaceable. In trying to do that, he has made himself obsolete, I am afraid.

[Precambrian]

@the vortex, There are cases for both. It is virtually impossible for a Company go to go from growth to growth without a strong leadership, and in environments like ours, which call for immediate response to dynamic environment, sometimes "near - autocratic" approach by Modi helps. do you think that IPL 2009 would have really happened if Modi decided to play safe and waited for consensus from everyone? Including the Govt? Nobody is saying he is 100% perfect. But who is? People seem overeager to jump to the Modi bashing bandwagon, but when asked to present concrete proof of something that he did, they are all at sea. But why should that bother the bashing? Lage Raho.

[The Outsider]

Running a monopoly with as popular a product as cricket in India, even a monkey would have been able to make something the IPL a success. There is obviously no way of knowing the inner power dealings. But is Pawar is against Modi, then nothing will come of these 15,000+ page documents. Pawar in his career must have eaten away hundreds of Modis.

[Precambrian]

Running a monopoly with as popular a product as cricket in India, even a monkey would have been able to make something the IPL a success.

Why no monkey took the initiative if they had so much guarantee before Modiji?:yay: