With the Supreme Court and the Justice RM Lodha Panel unflinching in cleaning the mess in BCCI’s top brass, the cricket administration body is trying every trick in the book to escape compliance of the SC orders.
The latest from the BCCI is the threat to call off the ongoing series between India and New Zealand citing cricket body's inability to disburse fund to state administration after the Lodha panel allegedly decided to ‘freeze’ the bank accounts of the cricket body for its failure to comply with the court’s directives on implementation of the panel’s recommendations.
BCCI President Anurag Thakur today said it was unfortunate that they were not allowed to release funds to the state associations, which depended on them for money to host the games.
"The BCCI does not take any money from outside, whether it’s central or state governments. Banks were told not to release payments. It is unfortunate that such a situation has arisen. Has BCCI not done anything at all these years, these questions need to be answered,” Thakur fumed.
So far, the BCCI has been reluctant to make changes recommended by the panel. The cricketing body has even refused to honour a deadline set by the Supreme Court.
However, the Justice RM Lodha led panel on Tuesday clarified that they didn't direct the banks to freeze the accounts of the Board and that it can carry on with its routine expenses.
Lodha said, "We have not frozen the accounts of BCCI, we have directed the BCCI to not disburse funds to the state association. Day to day affairs, routine expenditure, matches, games, that should go on. There is absolutely no prohibition."
The threat to call off the popular series is seen by many as a tool to blackmail the highest court of India.
The very idea of losing the financial muscle discomforted the cash-rich body.It is already accepted that the BCCI calls the shots in world cricket. The reason for that is the huge financial clout it enjoys. A report in LiveMint in 2014 pegged that India accounted for 80% of the game's revenue and 75% of overall viewership.
The sole point of contention is the issue of funds. ESPNcricinfo reported on Monday that two specific financial transactions taken by the BCCI’s emergent working committee on September 30 had drawn the Lodha panel’s ire.
The first transaction stipulated that all state associations, except the Rajasthan Cricket Association, would get an increment of Rs 10 crore to their existing infrastructure subsidy. The other transaction revolved around the compensation money received by the BCCI for the cancellation of the ill-fated Champions League T20 which was to be distributed among the cricket body’s full members.
The all out war between Lodha panel and BCCI turned uglier after the panel, in its letter on Monday, told the banks to block BCCI's payments to the state bodies.
"It has come to the notice of this Committee that certain decisions have been taken at the 'Emergent Working Committee' meeting of the BCCI on 30th September 2016 to disburse large funds to the various member associations," the panel had written.
"You are also aware that the BCCI has chosen to breach the judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court as well as the first set of Timelines set out by this Committee which includes the Fund Disbursement policy to be framed by 30.9.2016.
The BCCI is in the line of fire after Lodha Committee filed a status report in the apex court asking for the removal of the Board's entire top brass for violating its recommendations in the September 30 SGM.
Many netizens took to twitter to slam the cricket body and alleged it is trying to blackmail the highest court.
Here are some of the reactions.
