DDCA demands lifetime ban on Kirti Azad

Delhi & District Cricket Association on Thursday demanded a lifetime ban on Kirti Azad for attempting to tarnish the image of DDCA and its president Arun Jaitley and accused him of indulging in dirty politics in the "garb of criticising" the IPL.

"We demand Mr Kirti Azad's immediate suspension along with other such cricketers from BCCI and DDCA, and institution of an immediate independent inquiry to their accusations so that if found guilty, lifetime ban on them could be imposed," Vinod Tihara, Convenor Sports Committee, said in a statement.

"The real agenda is to tarnish the image of our clean President Arun Jaitley and that's why even while criticising IPL, he talks incessantly against DDCA and its overall functioning.

"Clearly, it is not cricket but pure cheap, dirty politics. Their frustration to make a dent in DDCA and BCCI has gone out of proportions now."

Azad had questioned the lack of accountability and transparency in the Indian Premier League and also went on hunger strike at the Feroz Shah Kotla on Sunday, but the DDCA said his actions have put the game to shame.

"As you have seen in the past few weeks, Kirti Azad and his gang of desperate cricketers have been spitting venom against BCCI and DDCA in the garb of criticising IPL," Tihara said.

"Their language, behaviour and false accusations - all are unbecoming of the cricketers and have put the game of cricket to shame.

"These disgruntled cricketers are demanding a ban on IPL just because there had been some black sheep tarnishing its image. BCCI has taken prompt remedial action and so it is. You cannot kill a person just because he is suffering from some viral fever.

"Going by Kirti's own argument we should also demand for banning Parliament as some MPs and Ministers have been found guilty of corruption!," he added.

The statement further said that Azad did not do anything worthwhile for Delhi cricket despite holding a post in DDCA.

"In fact, IPL is a garb to attack DDCA wherein Kirti has been a part of CIC (Cricket Improvement Committee) for more than two years but did nothing to improve cricket except making a vain attempt of pushing some of his players in the Delhi team at various levels.