No sacrificing India’s riches in world cricket, says CoA
NEW DELHI: The Committee of Administrators (CoA), constituted by the Supreme Court to run the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), cautioned the International Cricket Council (ICC) that it will not accept a financial model that would hurt India’s interest.
Headed by the former Comptroller and Auditor General of India Vinod Rai, the four-member CoA also has Vikram Limaye, the chief executive officer of India’s National Stock Exchange, as a member. With two financial wizards in its team, the BCCI is confident that it would retain its financial grip on world cricket.
“Will get what we deserve,” said Rai in a chat with journalists here on Wednesday. “Won’t sacrifice India’s riches,” added historian Ram Guha, another member of the CoA.
India’s objection to ICC’s new financial model was a setback to Shashank Manohar, who shockingly quit his post as ICC’s first independent chairman just 10 months into the job.
Manohar’s new model, based on equality, may have been populist, but the BCCI administrators seem to have played their cards well to eliminate any loss in revenue.
Rai hinted that India will not stop short of playing power games if required.
“We don’t want to be confrontationist and play politics but if it needs to be played, we won’t be found wanting,” he said.
“India can’t afford to lose money and help in development of the game,” said Rai, who added that Afghanistan and Ireland will get BCCI’s support to develop their cricket.
Closer home, the CoA warned state units, still opposing the Lodha reforms, to see the “writing on the wall.”
The CoA has published the BCCI’s draft constitution this week on the Board’s website and has set itself an October 2017 deadline to enforce the Supreme Court-endorsed reforms suggested by the Lodha committee.
Rai said the 50-day journey so far has been “excellent” and “difficulties were lesser than what we thought it would be.”
Rai clearly warned that “defiance” will have no place in the CoA’s scheme of things.
“If we have to attain an objective, it has to be done in stages. Our first steps have been good and should anyone refuse, we will be forced to work out a roadmap,” the CoA said, adding: “persuasion” will be the key to
change.
INDIA’S OBJECTION TO ICC’S NEW FINANCIAL MODEL WAS A SETBACK TO SHASHANK MANOHAR, WHO QUIT HIS POST AS ICC’S FIRST INDEPENDENT CHAIRMAN JUST 10 MONTHS INTO THE JOB