Pawar against govt’s plan to control BCCI

Zeenews Sports Bureau

New Delhi: ICC president Sharad Pawar has come out in open against the sports bill saying he has some reservations about certain aspects of the bill. While BCCI member Anurag Thakur has said that the government should not worry about BCCI as it is the most organized and professional sports body in India and should focus on building sports infrastructure. Meanwhile, sports minister Ajay Maken has said that he is unable to understand the reasons as to why the cricket board is comparing accountability to control. “How, bringing a sports body under RTI to controlling it, I fail to understand? Just an effort to make it accountable to its fans” he tweeted on Tuesday. The BCCI seems to have drawn swords with the government as it says the move to bring the board under its control is unacceptable and only organizations receiving funds from the government can come under the RTI Act. “Only organizations taking grant from the government can come under RTI so only federations while BCCI doesn`t” BCCI spokesperson Rajeev Shukla said in an interview without speaking anything on the specifics of the proposed Sports Bill. BCCI has termed it as a backward move when cricket is at its zenith. However, several MPs and former cricketers have backed the move saying that the BCCI should be more transparent and should set an example for others to follow. Former cricketers Arun Lal and Kapil Dev supported the Bill, saying there was absolutely nothing wrong in BCCI coming under RTI. Lok Sabha MP Sharad Yadav asked for more transparency in the functioning of the cricket board while BJP’s Ravi Shankar Prasad and RJD’s Lalu Prasad Yadav expressed similar views putting their weight behind the proposal. The sports bill to be discussed by the cabinet on Tuesday would introduce a regulatory regime on all national sports federations and BCCI will have to adhere to the norms and regulations of the bill. Also, if the bill is approved, it will make it mandatory for the cricketers to undergo random doping tests as it makes National Anti Doping Agency the sole body for all anti-doping measures. This has so far being opposed by the Indian cricket team and the board.