BCCI clears Ganguly in endorsement controversy

NEW DELHI: The Indian cricket Board on Sunday gave a clean chit to Sourav Ganguly who had himself offered to show his endorsement contract papers to BCCI amidst media reports that the deal contained a clause which provided financial incentives for more time spent at the crease.

The BCCI went through Ganguly's endorsement documents and found nothing objectionable, BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla said.

"Reports of the clause which talked about more incentives for time spent at the crease are baseless and unfounded. There is nothing objectionable," Shukla said.

BCCI President Sharad Pawar had stirred a hornet's nest two days ago by telling a news channel he had received complaints that a player's contract had a clause which calculated his earnings based on the time spent at the crease.

A newspaper report on Sunday said that Pawar was hinting at Ganguly's contract.

"Sourav contacted the BCCI headquarters about these reports mentioning his name into the controversy and offered to show the contract papers," Shukla said.

"On behalf of Pawar, I went through his contract paper and after that I am of the view that no such clause exist. In fact, the BCCI President wanted to go through the process so that Ganguly's name is cleared," he said.

Shukla also said that Pawar had not taken the name of any player in his interview and was only referring to some "allegation."

"Sections of media had reported that BCCI President Sharad Pawar was hinting at Sourav Ganguly on his contract with Puma in course of his interview with the TV channel," Shukla said.

"Pawar did not take any name and there was no aspersion on any individual. He had only referred to some allegation and had emphasised the need to find the truth," he said.