ICL commercial venture? so is BCCI, says Digvijay Singh

[King]

In a sharp letter to BCCI President Sharad Pawar Digvijay Singh said it was the right time for the BCCI "to do some introspection" and he also sought a reform. More... ICL commercial venture? so is BCCI, says Digvijay Singh PTI NEW DELHI, August 26: If Indian Cricket League is an "out and out" commercial venture, so is BCCI and it's time for a reform in the Cricket Board to allow former players and lovers of the game to run the administration, says Congress leader Digvijay Singh. In a sharp letter to BCCI President Sharad Pawar, his second since the BCCI-ICL tussle broke out, Singh said it was the right time for the BCCI "to do some introspection" and he also sought a reform. "The stranglehold which some people in the BCCI bureaucracy have established is something which has to be looked into... In this age of transparency and reforms, don't you think that BCCI also needs a reform where new people who love cricket and who have played for India are allowed to participate in the functioning of the highest body of cricket?" he asked Pawar. Singh also rubbished the argument put forward by BCCI top brass that ICL was 'out and out' a commercial venture and questioned how could the Board claim to be different. "Hasn't BCCI also become a commercial venture that is earning millions by allowing multi-nationals to use their logos on players' outfit? In fact, it has earned more millions than trophies," he said. Singh was baffled how the same Board can allow its cricketers to play in county cricket but not in the ICL. "...the attitude of the BCCI in preventing and debarring the cricketers from participating in the ICL is a retrograde step and not in the interest of cricket and cricketers," he said. In his earlier letter also, Singh had said instead of taking confrontationist stand, BCCI should act as a facilitator for the ICL to succeed. "I am sure the objective of the BCCI is not to make the millions but to popularise the game of cricket. I am sure you will prevail upon the hardliners in the Board and make them understand sentiments of millions of cricket lovers in India," said Singh, also a friend of Pawar. "What is good for cricket and cricketers should obviously be good for the BCCI," he had added. ICL is a venture by the Subhash Chandra-headed Essel Group and Singh found nothing objectionable with the effort. "Is it not a fact that Chelsea club of England is owned by a Russian oil tycoon billionare (Roman Abramovich)?" he asked. He also pointed out that BCCI is teeming with people most of whom have no cricket back ground at all. "Among the Board members, I do not think there are many who have played first class cricket, apart from Ranjib Biswal and Sanjay Jagdale, leave aside Test cricket," he said.

[King]

I think the players shouldn't really be made administrators but should certainly be given more chance to have a say in cricket. BCCI should employ paid CEOs that can constantly bring good money to the game meanwhile the players should work on the cricket side of things. I wouldn't like to see Bedi becoming CEO or marketing manager of BCCI but won't mind him as a spin academy head. X-Cricketers sure should be given more responsibilities but one has to understand cricketers are good at cricket and not say man management or sales or R&D. Best way is to first get rid of the politicians or part timers from the board. You need paid professionals that are going to give their full time to their jobs.

[Chandan]

You need paid professionals that are going to give their full time to their jobs.

Exactly. BCCI needs to have 4 head directors: 1. Administration 2. Cricketing affairs 3. Finance 4. Legal All four directors have to be professional and pull towards one aim from these four directions, ie, to run Indian cricket smoothly and take it forward.

[bigdhoni7]

isnt the bcci ceo a professor? the biggest problem with the whole bcci structure is the elections period which i say have big affect on whatever the previous administration's plans of running things good or bad. the only way indian sports is to improve is to make a law barring any politician from running any of the sports administrations. but this will never happen.

[beetle]

As if politicians in BCCI were not enough ....this ICL has made Indian cricket into some slimy political fest. All kinds of sicko politicians are coming out from every nook and corner in support of this circus cricket. They will ofcourse expect their pound of flesh in return. I hate the politics ICL is playing. Instead of getting rid of politicians from BCCI ....cricket is getting dragged deeper into this political swamp.

[Chandan]

Looks like you people have missed court's verdict. The first decision came in favour of ICL where the HC has ordered that players working for various Public Sector Units (because of sports quota for playing for BCCI) won't be sacked just because they became ICL-bound. Don’t sack players who join ICL, court tells PSUs What is the petition then?

The petition, in a nutshell - Anam Arsalan JOB SECURITY The interim order will ensure that the players are not sacked from their jobs, especially those working with Public Sector Undertakings. BCCl'S ROLE AHEAD BCCI is free to take individual action on the players but not before a decision is taken on the matter which will be decided by the Court on a priority basis. THE STADIUM ISSUE The petition challenges BCCI's direction to its affiliates against providing stadiums and other facilities to the ICL. The High Court has issued notices to the BCCI and other sports bodies to submit their replies within three weeks. USE OF NATIONAL FLAG The Indian Cricket League also sought that BCCI should be restrained from using the Indian flag and name of the country as it had accepted before the Supreme Court that it was a private body.