The Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise owners have been repeatedly breaching the playing-area protocol by venturing into restricted areas during games. The Indian board’s anti-corruption unit (ACU) has flagged this as a major violation of the league’s rules to BCCI office-bearers while listing a series of transgressions by players this season.
Not only have owners tried to send messages from their boxes to those sitting in the dugout, but there have also been instances of owners physically interacting with their teams while the game is on, the ACU has said. Based on these inputs, the BCCI has now issued an advisory to the teams asking the owners to stay in their corner, and they have also been made aware of the consequences of crossing the line.
“One of the most worrying aspects has been the behaviour of the team owners. They have been flouting rules and haven’t been cooperating. By way of evidence, there are photographs of them near the dugout. Some even carry their phones to the ground. They have been warned but it hasn’t helped,” an official aware of the league’s policing process told The Indian Express.
These inputs have been reflected in the May 7 advisory issued by BCCI Secretary Devjit Sakia that reminds the owners to adhere to the IPL’s Player and Match Official Access (PMOA) Protocol.
“The BCCI has noted with concern that certain IPL franchise owners have not adhered to the Player and Match Official Access (PMOA) Protocol during the course of matches. Specifically, instances have been observed of IPL franchise owners attempting to communicate with, approach, hug, or otherwise physically interact with players and team members during live match situations. Such conduct, however well-intentioned, directly contravenes established protocol and may constitute interference with team dynamics and match proceedings,” reads the seven-page document reviewed by The Indian Express.
Last week, speaking to The Indian Express, Saikia had said, “All these norms and all these advisories are already part of the protocol. But people are becoming casual nowadays, so we are reminding them that we will not show any leniency if there’s any violation.”
The BCCI advisory adds that “franchise owners and their representatives are strictly prohibited from communicating with or physically accessing players or team officials in the dugout, dressing room, or playing area during the course of a match, except through designated and approved channels.”
The letter also puts on paper the repercussions for not following the set norms. “All IPL franchise owner-level access to restricted zones must strictly conform to the PMOA Protocol as communicated by the IPL Operations Division. Any deviation shall be treated as a serious violation. Franchise management is responsible for ensuring that IPL franchise owners and their associates are fully briefed on the applicable protocols prior to each match day.”
The advisory also mentions some other episodes of indiscipline. “It has been brought to notice that certain team members have demonstrated reluctance in presenting their accreditation cards for verification when requested by authorised security personnel. This behaviour is unacceptable and constitutes a breach of basic event security protocol.”
The board also informed the franchise about the risks in inviting unauthorised persons to team hotels. “The BCCI draws the attention of all franchises to the well-documented risks of targeted compromise and honey-trapping that pervade high-profile sporting environments. The possibility of incidents giving rise to serious legal allegations, including those under applicable laws on sexual misconduct, cannot be discounted. IPL franchise management must remain vigilant and proactive in mitigating such risks at all times.”
Following the advisory, the BCCI had a meeting with the CEOs of all franchises, where the inputs provided by the ACU were shared. The BCCI ACU is headed by Sharad Kumar, a former Director General of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) who also served as Vigilance Commissioner in the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC).
