IPL 2014: Life ban for any player involved in match-fixing, warns Rajeev Shukla
After grappling with spot-fixing scandal in 2013, IPL returns in April for its seventh edition. The first leg of the tournament will be played in UAE which has raised a few eyebrows as Dubai and Sharjah were forbidden venues after the match-fixing scandal broke out in 2000.
Senior BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla on Thursday, sounded out a warning that the cricket board will have zero-tolerance towards match-fixing and anyone found guilty of indulging in malpractices during IPL-7 will be "banned for life". (IPL 2014: UAE will host first leg, final leg and title clash in India)
"The BCCI and IPL governing council are alert after spot-fixing allegations in previous edition of IPL. Each and every game of seventh edition of IPL will be thoroughly monitored. Any complaint to Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) will be dealt with a lot of seriousness. If the charges are proved, guilty will be banned for life," Shukla told mediapersons in Jaunpur on Thursday. (ICC welcomes BCCI's move to stage IPL 7 matches in UAE)
The first part of IPL from April 16 to 30 will be held in United Arab Emirates while Bangladesh is on stand-bye as an off-shore venue from May 1-12 provided union home ministry doesn't give go-ahead to BCCI on organizing matches during counting phase of the general elections. IPL will be back in India from May 13 to June 1. (Indian cricketers back in 'tainted' UAE, IPL not worried about match-fixing)