Ministry wants official to resign
INDIA’s sports ministry demanded yesterday that cricket chief Narainswamy Srinivasan resign “on moral grounds” amid the spot-fixing scandal. He has previously said he was not involved.
INDIA’s sports ministry demanded yesterday that cricket chief Narainswamy Srinivasan resign “on moral grounds” amid the spot-fixing scandal.
“The BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) is inquiring into allegations of match and spotfixing. As there is a conflict of interest in this inquiry, therefore the BCCI president should tender his resignation on moral grounds,” the ministry said.
The BCCI is not controlled by the sports ministry, however, nor does it depend on the government for funding.
Srinivasan has said previously he was not involved in the scandal and will not resign. He became embroiled in it when his son-inlaw, Chennai Super Kings official Gurunath Meiyappan, was arrested in the scandal that emerged with the arrest of former test cricketer Shantakumaran Sreesanth and two others who played for Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Srinivasan is the MD of India Cements, which owns Chennai.
Members of Srinivasan’s BCCI also want him to distance himself from the investigation.
The BCCI has asked retired judges Jayaram Chouta and R Balasubramanian and BCCI secretary-general Sanjay Jagdale to investigate the roles of Meiyappan and the Chennai and Rajasthan teams.
“We’re of the view that the recommendations of this committee should be binding and that the BCCI should not ponder over it,” IPL chairman and BCCI vicepresident Rajeev Shukla said.
“(Pending an) inquiry, he (Srinivasan) should disassociate himself from the procedure but the decision rests with him.”
BCCI member Jyotiradiya Scindia, who heads its finance committee, has also asked for Srinivasan to step aside.
“In the interest of propriety and in the interest of the game, when there is a question mark surrounding the team (Chennai) and its manager, who happens to be a family member, I believe Mr Srinivasan must step aside,” Scindia said on Tuesday.
The spot-fixing case came to light after Delhi police arrested Sreesanth and two other bowlers on suspicion of underperforming in the IPL in return for money from bookmakers.
The jailed trio is alleged to have conceded more than a certain number of runs in an over and received up to 6-million rupees ($110,000) from bookmakers for every over.
They have been charged with cheating, criminal conspiracy and criminal breach of trust.
All three players and Meiyappan have been suspended by the BCCI.
Pakistan umpire Asad Rauf, meanwhile, yesterday denied spot-fixing allegations levelled against him during the IPL Twenty20 competition, saying he was ready to face any inquiry.
Rauf, a serving elite-level international umpire, was withdrawn by the International Cricket Council (ICC) from next month’s Champions Trophy in England after media reports that he was under investigation.
“I vehemently deny allegations of match-fixing, spot-fixing, taking gifts (from bookmakers) and any illegal money,” Rauf said. “I am ready to face any inquiry if the ICC’s anticorruption unit wants to conduct any.”
Indian media alleged Rauf was in contact with Bollywood actor Vindu Dara Singh, who has been arrested on charges of acting as a middleman between bookies, players and officials.
The Pakistan Cricket Board distanced itself from the controversy, saying Rauf was under ICC control and the event was held in India, but assured that action would be taken against Rauf if the governing body ordered it.
Rauf, also a former first-class cricketer has so far umpired in 48 Tests, 98 one-day internationals and 23 Twenty20 internationals. Sapa-AP-AFP