IPL Star Found Hosting Few In Room Late Into The Night, BCCI Anti-Corruption Unit Takes This Step
As for unauthorised visitors in players' and support staff's rooms, the Board's concerns deepened after a player was recently found hosting a few people in his room well into the night quite often
- BCCI has issued strict rules on unauthorised visitors in IPL players' rooms
- A player was found hosting guests late at night, prompting BCCI inquiry
- Players must get written or verbal permission before inviting guests to hotels
The BCCI has issued some stringent rules for IPL players, commentators and teams. As for unauthorised visitors in players' and support staff's rooms, the Board's concerns deepened after a player was recently found hosting a few people in his room well into the night quite often. The BCCI Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) officer immediately summoned the team manager to enquire about the meetings, but the reply was "casual and disinterested". The manager cited the player's seniority in the team's ranks to defend him. "I am not surprised. At times, the players use their stature within the team to bend the rules. Once I told a player to host his friends in the lobby restaurant, not in his room," a former official said.
"I told him there are some board instructions on such matters. He just snapped: 'You don't worry. I will tell the board (officials) if they ask'," said a former official, who worked for a long time in the IPL as a team manager.
Another franchise official offered his view on this. "Well, I don't know about such arm-twisting (by players). But we have now given out clear instructions that written or at least verbal permission is required to invite friends and family to the hotel where the team stays.
"I know they also need to meet family and friends. But we have told them not to entertain guests after 10 pm, and such meetings should happen in the lobby or any other public place where the team manager/officials should have ready access," the official stated.
In another instance, a player failed to return calls from a team official, who knocked on his hotel room door to pass on information.
He eventually walked into the hotel quite late at night, accompanied by a group of friends. But it was brushed under the carpet, as the player was perceived to be close to the franchise's owners.
"I agree that sometimes rules are not followed in letter and spirit, or sometimes some exemptions will be given to the players. Now, we are looking to put in place constant checks on the players.
"But we should also ensure that it's not an intrusion into their privacy. We will also be in talks with the BCCI as to how to implement this particular rule without any issue," the official said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a press release)