“If the reputation, image and spirit of the sport are lost, what remains?” asked the Justice Lodha Committee in its compelling report, which imposed bans on the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Rajasthan Royals (RR), and its respective officials Gurunath Meiyappan and Raj Kundra. The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2013 spot-fixing scandal cast a shadow on the gentleman’s game in this cricket-crazy nation. The events of May 16, 2013, where three cricketers were arrested by the Police on allegations of spot-fixing, linger along as a painful memory. With the seeds of suspicions sown, could the fan enjoy a game without any inhibitions? The latest developments act as a soothing balm for the worried fan, who expects nothing but a clean game.    

COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

Justice Lodha Committee’s report upholds the ‘Spirit of the Game’ above everything else. Through the report, it has held that the credibility and reputation of the sport is paramount and nothing comes before it. Meiyappan’s claims of “untold mental agony to him and his family” were brushed aside by the simple statement that it was no comparison to the damage done to the image of cricket. Kundra’s acts were said to “embolden” other miscreants in the unit who may want to indulge in dishonest activities, taking into account the fact that three of RR’s players are accused of spot-fixing. 

In fact, Jaipur IPL Cricket Private Limited (JIPL), the franchisee that owns RR, went on to argue that suspending them from the league would be detrimental to their players’ interests. Describing themselves as a “nursery” of young talent, they pressed for their stay in the tournament. India Cements even argued that they have been big contributors to cricket for years. However good their track record may have been, the offences by their said officials were seen as a blot. With all the damage done to the sport in this episode, the past was immaterial. It only mirrors the old adage: Reputation takes years to build but minutes to lose.

Perhaps the most compelling statement by the committee is: “Any person who has true passion for the game would not be involved in the betting.” This is a reflection of the unanimous opinion of the cricket loving public at large. The pride of a cricket fan rests in the pristine image of the game — one that has unfortunately been soiled by such unsavoury incidents. True love for the sport should invoke a spirit of guardianship amongst players and officials to safeguard the image of the game. On that count, these entities failed in their duty to protect cricket’s pride. 

While the fans can rejoice at the remarks made by the committee, the IPL franchisees face a wake-up call. India Cements and JIPL tried to put forth the point that their said officials had indulged in betting in their personal capacities or away from their “discharge of duties.” The committee laid the burden on the franchisees to ensure that their house is in order and that their officials and players are adhering to the laws of the game and the tournament. Failure to do so is not only telling on the offending individual, but also the whole entity. JIPL were even told that the fact that three players from their team were in the dock was further proof that “all is not well” when it came to their tackling of such problems. 

In such a scenario, the other franchisees may pull their socks up and act with a greater sense of care. The committee has established a responsibility on each unit in the IPL in contributing towards a clean game. Franchisees may look at options to tighten things, implement the framework better and ensure that they do not face such problems in the future. Each franchisee is now accountable for any activity detrimental to cricket’s image, occurring in its unit. 

Outsourcing punishmentsEminent jurists of the country are at odds over the legality of the Supreme Court’s decision to form a committee to determine punishments. While setting up the committee in January this year, the Supreme Court stated in its order, “The Committee shall, before  taking a final view on  the quantum of punishment to be awarded, issue  notice to all those likely to be affected and provide to them a hearing in the matter. The order passed by the Committee shall be final and binding upon BCCI and the parties concerned subject to the right of the aggrieved party seeking redress in appropriate judicial proceedings in accordance with the law.”

Justice Markandey Katju, the former Supreme Court judge, is sceptical about it and went on to mention in various Facebook posts that the punishments by the committee are a “nullity” as they the Apex court cannot “outsource its power to punish” the offenders. On the other hand, eminent lawyer Shanti Bhushan told Hindustan Times that it can be done as long as there is a course to appeal. In this case, the Supreme Court’s order in January did say that the parties can have the option of seeking redress. 

This debate aside, one hopes that this is the beginning in tackling the menace and closing an unpleasant chapter in Indian cricket. (Nishad Pai Vaidya is a Mumbai-based cricket journalist and anchor. He is one of the youngest to cover the three major tournaments — ICC World Cup, World T20 and the under-19 World Cup. He can be followed on Twitter at @nishad_45)