(Image source from: Dnaindia.com)
The Board of Control for Cricket in India, known as BCCI, is planning to implement tougher rules about discipline and access during the current Indian Premier League, or IPL, because of several events that have caused worry within the board regarding security and breaches of anti-corruption rules. "We have to set new rules for this season of IPL. There have been many situations that made the board feel uneasy. We are talking to IPL teams to make sure nothing bad happens again. There has been a lot of misbehavior in this IPL," a source from BCCI said on Tuesday. This new move comes just days after BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla stated that the board is creating new rules to manage player access and limit contact with unauthorized people in hotels, team buses, and other secure places during the tournament. Shukla mentioned in Lucknow last week that these measures are intended to promote openness and enhance the integrity of the league.
"The access for players will be monitored; unauthorized individuals will not be allowed to meet the players, either in hotels or on buses, to guarantee the transparency of the IPL," he stated. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia also showed worry about what he called "irregularities and issues" with players, franchise workers, and outsiders during the tournament. Saikia noted that the board witnessed various cases where unauthorized persons were seen with team members, entering team hotels, and even getting into players’ and officials' rooms, actions which violate IPL’s anti-corruption rules. He also mentioned that some franchise owners and officials were seen talking to players in restricted areas where such interactions are not allowed according to the tournament rules. This season has already experienced disciplinary measures in several situations. Riyan Parag, the captain of Rajasthan Royals, faced a penalty of 25 percent of his match fee and received a demerit point after being discovered vaping in the dressing room during a match against Punjab Kings.
In another case, Rajasthan Royals manager Ravinder Singh Bhinder was fined Rs 1 lakh for using a mobile phone near the dugout during a game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Guwahati.
