The stated goal of the ICC and BCCI is to have zero tolerance against all kinds of corruption.
But over the years these issues have tended to show cricket’s governing bodies as being toothless in its fight against the menace of corruption.
The latest example of the toothless fight against corruption in cricket has come in the form of a Kerala High Court verdict lifting the ban on ex-India speedster Sreesanth. In 2013, it was the sensational Rajasthan Royals episode involving three players including Sreesanth which led to the current flux in the BCCI.
The letting off by the Kerala High Court on Monday suggests that while all these cases have strong ethical connotations, none of the cases stand the test legally. Sreesanth is just one of the examples of the failed attempts to crack down on corruption in cricket, especially in India.
Why We Need a Sports Specific Corruption Law
The lack of a strong sports specific corruption law has meant that those accused continue to be let off with ease.
In December 2000 when Mohammed Azharuddin, Ajay Jadeja, Manoj Prabhakar and Ajay Sharma were banned for varying degrees, it was meant to be an example for others. But over a period of time, at least three of the four were allowed to return to the mainstream legally and politically.
Jadeja’s five-year ban was lifted in January 2003 by Delhi High Court, but despite a challenge by the BCCI by April 2003, he was back in domestic cricket later that year. In fact, Jadeja went on to play for three more states and even featured in Sachin Tendulkar’s final Ranji Trophy match in 2013-14.
Azharuddin’s life ban was deemed illegal by Hyderabad High Court in 2012 and there has not been any sort of challenge by the BCCI since then. During the 2004 Asia Cup, when Azhar did return to a cricket stadium in Colombo for a private television news station, there was much hullabaloo. But then in 2006, Azhar was eased into the mainstream by the BCCI itself as they felicitated him along with former captains, despite some protests by the ICC.
Prabhakar served out his ban and then went onto become coach of the Delhi, Uttar Pradesh Ranji sides. He was even the bowling coach of the Afghanistan side at the World Twenty20 2016.
Of all those banned, Ajay Sharma is the only one still serving a life ban without it being lifted.
In all the above cases, while there was strong outrage at the time of the incident, with passage of time there was a quiet roll back by the BCCI. Today, a Jadeja is a commentator in the ongoing India tour of Sri Lanka, Azhar is a pundit on a television news station and Prabhakar is still a coach.
Sreesanth’s Case Could Embolden Fellow Accused
Azhar even successfully became a Member of Parliament (MP) and Sreesanth too followed suit last year in the Assembly elections in Kerala, but lost. In fact Sreesanth has even acted in movies like Jadeja. Sreesanth was keen to play club cricket this year in Scotland and even in his home state of Kerala, before the BCCI stepped in.
Sreesanth is now keen to play Ranji Trophy cricket in the upcoming season. If the BCCI is really serious about rooting out all sorts of corruption, they should immediately counter this let-off in a higher court. Else, this sort of cycle of creating a villain, followed by ouster, sidelining, and reinstatement of an alleged culprit will continue forever.
In the case of Sreesanth & Co, we still remember the spectacle of them being paraded in front of the media by the Delhi police with their faces covered, much like a hardened criminal.
Sreesanth’s case could become an alibi for fellow accused Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila too. Both Chavan and Chandila, the other two in that infamous 2013 Rajasthan Royals scandal, could also seek legal recourse and stage a similar return to mainstream.
BCCI Needs to Push for a Sports Corruption Bill
All the cases look and sound sensational when they are first splashed, but we must remember that all the cases need to stand legal scrutiny. The biggest travesty of justice is the fact that despite the sensational revelations in the famous 2000 Hansie Cronje match-fixing episode by the Delhi police, there has been no movement thus far on that case too!
The BCCI must take a lead amongst all sporting bodies to push for a Sports Corruption Bill. That is the only way of fighting this menace.
In England the famous 2010 spot-fixing case led to the conviction of Salman Butt, Mohammed Asif and Mohammed Amir because of a strong sports corruption law. All three served varying lengths of jail sentences, before coming back into the mainstream. But in the same vein, despite the law and confessions by a number of players like Brendon McCullum, Chris Cairns was let-off by the courts in United Kingdom during his battle with Lalit Modi.
In India, we need similar deterrent punishments for all future culprits to be wary of. Unfortunately all the examples over the past 17 years have shown the alleged culprits that there is a way back into the system. At every stage the alleged culprits are welcomed back with open arms in varying forms, leading to no fear of committing a crime.
BCCI’s own Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) has no legal sanction, this is also true for ICC’s ACU. So it becomes that much more important for BCCI to show that they can team up with the investigating agencies to tighten the loopholes in their fight against corruption.
Globally Interpol has shown an interest in tying up with the ICC in rooting out corruption, but there has been a resistance to that. In India, however, BCCI can set an example by teaming up with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or by even getting one of the high profile MPs-cum-cricket administrators to push for the Sports corruption bill.
Till these actions don’t take place, all the talk about zero tolerance to corruption is all just that, talk. We will continue with this cycle forever and welcome back those we ourselves ostracised at one time.
(Chandresh Narayanan is ex-cricket writer for The Times of India, The Indian Express, ex-Media Officer for ICC and current media manager of Delhi Daredevils. He is also the author of World Cup Heroes, Cricket Editorial consultant, professor and cricket TV commentator.)
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