Truth & Reconciliation in Cricket, Whether Possible?

Arjun J Chaudhuri

Board of Control for Cricket in India’s [BCCI] annual revenue from IPL T20 tournament fell in 2012-13 with gross receipts at Rs. 892 Crore, compared with Rs. 956 Crore in 2011-2012, according to BCCI’s annual financial report. Income from Media Rights rose to Rs. 556 Crore marginally when compared to Rs.533 Crore, and Income from IPL sponsorship receipts also declined marginally to Rs.180 Crore from Rs.192 Crore in 2011-2012. However, income from franchise considerations fell by sharp 25% to Rs. 460 Crore. 

Firstly, this drop is attributed to Gurunath Meiyappan who is son-in-law of present elect BCCI President N Srinivasan, and former team principal of Chennai Super Kings T20 franchise, Vindoo Dara Singh, and Asad Rauf, Pakistan umpire, and 15-20 other known or unknown bookies is being charge-sheeted u/Section 173 Cr. PC for Alleged Conspiracy and Common Intention in Commission of Cheating, Fraud, Forgery, Illegal Spot-fixing & Betting with aid of information technology, offences punishable u/Sections 212, 415, 417, 420, 465, 466, 468, 471, 490 r/w 120 B & 34 IPC 1860, u/Section 66A of information technology Act,  and u/Sections 4 & 5 of Gambling Act.  Evidence adduced in this matter pertains to search & seizure of relevant documents, phone tapping of conversations, and testimony that is not under oath before police officer.

Secondly, this drop is also attributed to Supreme Court of India rejecting appeal plea of BCCI to consider illegal spot-fixing & betting in IPL report prepared by its two-member panel against Bombay High Court order that rendered report submitted as null & void. The BCCI report which absolves BCCI President N Srinivasan, Gurunath Meiyappan, and co-owner of Rajasthan Royals Franchise Raj Kundra is seen as attempt to quash criminal proceedings of Delhi Police & Mumbai Police, and Directorate of Prosecutions indirectly, as against filing a direct Writ Petition before Appellate Courts to challenge penal provisions of Indian Penal Code, 1860 & Gambling Act that they are charged with because indeed prima facie case is made out against accused.

Notwithstanding this, N Srinivasan who was re-elected unopposed as President of BCCI for a third year at its annual general meeting in Chennai, is not able to discharge his duty as President till Supreme Court decides otherwise. Question is whether there is likelihood of conspiracy and common intention in commission of cheating, fraud, forgery, and illegal spot-fixing & betting with aid of information technology will continue in interim period when trial to decision of guilty or not guilty is made by unnamed accused and named accused in charge-sheet filed. It is this injunctive ground that opposition to present BCCI President will have to face both from within BCCI and its constituent State Units, and outside of BCCI from administrative & enforcement agencies like CBI, state police, income tax authorities from unpaid tax on illegal income earned, and general public who constitute electorate base for India, especially with general parliamentary election expected in May 2014.

Sadly, action is lacking against all named accused because government of India mandates that its institutions be protected whether they are de jure or de facto recognized as such, and BCCI is one such authority. For all its controversy, it has served as model of corporate governance for sport in India. All stakeholders that include players, sports officials, businesses, advertising agencies, broadcasters, and ancillary service providers have benefitted in pecuniary form and otherwise because of Revenue Streams it has created from its Sporting Properties.  State governments also benefit financially whenever T20, ODI or test match cricket is played at one of their internationally recognized stadiums, and state players make to national side who in turn serve as brand ambassadors for state government efforts in development. The same cannot be said of other sports federations which are afflicted by malaise of shunning development and expanding membership because they see it as threat to their officially ‘Elected’ position.

Coming back to BCCI annual financial report which has seen a drop in Gross Receipts & Revenue in 2012-13 when compared to 2011-12, it is a sign of its Confidence Index with advertisers, sponsors & broadcasters falling, and correlative drop in its projected revenue from advertisers, sponsors & broadcasters who create ‘value’ in sporting properties when they perceive that spectators, listeners, viewers & readers of cricket news & current affairs are growing, and not falling. Unless corporate governance in sport is improved, Sponsors such as Airtel will divert their sponsorship moneys into emerging sports like Football after losing out to IPL Title sponsorship to PepsiCo just before ugly head of illegal spot-fixing and betting scandal broke out. 

Attempts by sporting authorities to resist action against their very own office bearers are not peculiar to Indian sport only. Major League Baseball in USA faced similar problems of match-fixing, integration of major leagues, league expansion, racism, and steroid Use, which required Congress intervention in March 2005 for widespread steroid use because of its impact on younger generation who see Baseball Players as role models. Players & officials were required to give true testimony of their misconduct under oath after immunity protection from conviction in criminal proceedings but liable to civil action by MLB, all in an effort to clean up Baseball without discontinuing this profitable sport which today is globally most valuable Sport. 

Truth & Reconciliation is alien to our way of thinking but is definitely step in right direction…