BCCI-Sahara truce: Sahara to continue sponsoring Team India and Pune Warriors to play in IPL- 5

[IKnowU]

Sahara Press Release

Sahara to dissociate with BCCI/IPL and reinvest in setting up of 20 sports promotion centres, with an international standard sports academy Rs 10 crore support every year for underprivileged sports achievers of yesteryears & present along with a host of other social development initiatives like: 300 fully equipped medical vans for remote villages , 100 plus tankers for safe drinking water , 10,000 screens with dish antenna for villages for overall extensive literacy & education

http://www.espncricinfo.com/india/content/story/552060.html?CMP=chrome

Now after a 11-year journey as sponsors, we can say with surety that cricket has become very rich. Many rich people are there to support cricket with a strong will to do so. So, with absolute peace of mind we can exit from cricket under BCCI and are now exiting with a heavy heart. It was an emotional decision for us to start this sponsorship but our emotions were never appreciated and many genuine situations, were not given due consideration at all.

In the interest of the tournament, we repeatedly tried our best to pursue the BCCI for open auction of all players so that we achieve level playing field and all teams are equally balanced from the quality players' point of view. Again, as per BCCI's strict rules it was denied and again, we were deprived of natural justice. 12 of the best players were retained by the existing teams then. The two new teams then requested for allowing us at least one extra foreign player but that too was denied, quoting rules.

We really feel such one-sided emotional relationship cannot be dragged any further. We are withdrawing from all cricket under BCCI/ However, we don't want to give any problem to the BCCI and we also feel that the players should not suffer. BCCI will definitely take 2-4 months to get a new sponsor and we will continue paying the sponsorship money till then. All other IPL team players, coaches and other such associates will definitely get their due this year, in case they do not get a chance to play.

SAHARA IS PUTTING Rs. 1000 CRORES IN WELFARE FOUNDATION We are very happy to take a decision that the cricket money will be diverted to social work. We are declaring to put immediately Rs. 500 crore in Sahara Welfare Foundation, which will be run with the association of eminent persons of our country. For the programme as mentioned below, Sahara declares to put around Rs. 500 crore more in the next 1-2 years as per the need of all the programmes. We are working on various programmes including financial implications etc since we have taken this decision after continuous persuasion with the BCCI failed, meaning on the 2nd of February, 2012. But we waited upto the auction day ie today, 4th of February that our request to BCCI would be accepted. But again, there was no natural justice.

Our programmes in brief are as follows : RURAL/SEMI URBAN YOUNG SPORTS PERSON PROMOTIONAL CENTERS • We would develop 20 Rural/Semi Urban Sports Promotional Centers including Rural/Semi Urban Cricket promotional Centers. • Each shall have 7 to 10 Acres of land which will be developed into sports person promotional centers with hostels having 50-100 rooms. • Everyone shall get minimum 5 years. • Scientific selection youngsters shall be done throughout the country in remotest villages also to unearth genuine talents. • Every year, thousands of youngsters will be selected throughout the country from will be put in these sports centres with all cost of Sahara Welfare Foundation including their education also. • Local sports teachers shall be appointed and high class Domestic/International teachers shall also be appointed who shall visit these centers regularly in turns throughout the year for special training to local teachers and students. • Centres will have diversified sports disciplines viz. cricket, hockey, soccer, formula1, tennis, golf, wrestling, boxing etc. • One international standard sports academy shall immediately be developed at one point in India. • All best selected students shall ultimately come to this International Class Sports Academy. • Any of the students who secure a position at the National Level shall be appointed in company. • We shall definitely have minimum one center in every state barring very few highly disturbed states. • After Certain level of achievements on State/National/International level these people will be awarded, rewarded, suitably. • They will stand to receive permanent jobs, houses, marriages (particularly girls), old age facilities etc. etc. Deserving student shall be given regular opportunities to go abroad for further improvements/ developments. • All regular students shall be given high coverage of insurance which may go into crores. • SUPPORT FUND There are many old (retired) and present players who, at times, face up to miserable days regarding medical bills, girls marriage, shelter etc. Every year minimum 10 crores will be distributed. 3 crores for cricketers 7 Crores for all other disciplines

:isalute:

[IKnowU]

aabey tu itna khush kyun hota hai :poink:

Because hopefully this mark a change in Indian cricket and the values of money.

[Texy]

..l., BCCI for ruining another relationship

[amiret]

Unicorns for everyone thanks to Subroto roy .

[Sid]

Gangu the Pune Warrior comes back home and now he is a panauti for BCCI :hahaha:

[ShanS]

I just hope there is no under the table deal when choosing new sponsor and as a result of such, Sahara India becomes Panbahar India or Manforce India. Certainly not India Cements India. :nervous:

[Sir john]

Because hopefully this mark a change in Indian cricket and the values of money.

tension free rehne ka yaar,:winky:

[Needforspeed]

I thought Pune Warriors was owned by the Sahara Group. Now will the franchise continue to exist?

[bulbul]

Because hopefully this mark a change in Indian cricket and the values of money.

:hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical:

[IKnowU]

.

[CG]

Good decison.

[nospam]

Gangu the Pune Warrior comes back home and now he is a panauti for BCCI :hahaha:

hahaha :hysterical: yuvraj "why this kolaveri di" at BCCI!!!

[Lord]

So This Means We'll Have New Kit?hope Its Better

[CG]

So This Means We'll Have New Kit?hope Its Better

Nope,Nike makes the kits ,just the main sponser logo will change.

[bulbul]

Sahara pulled out becuase the issues they raised in IPL not cleared... :hysterical:

[kabira]

Its quite unprofessional of Sahara to announce that on the day of Auction. What will happen to their players?? If they had such plans they should have atleast let BCCI know few days in advance.

[Sidhoni]

:ohmy:

[Karan114]

**** BCCI' date='that is all.[/quote'] This.

[Lord]

what happens to the players?re-auction?

[Pagalpanti]

BCCI should just scrap the league for this season, its all messed up. So many rules are being bend there is no credibility for the tournament anymore. What used to be the next big thing is now a big joke in whole world. They should sort things out and continue with 8 teams from next year.