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Cash-rich and arguably the most powerful cricket body, Board of Cricket Control of India (BCCI) has said it is open to reforms – but indicated it won’t be arm-twisted to change.
New BCCI president, Anurag Thakur while admitting the shortcomings, said in Meghalaya’s capital Shillong “no organisation is 100 per cent perfect. Even the media, judiciary or any system within the country needs constant reform.”
The 41-year-old Thakur has taken charge over the BCCI during a period when the Supreme Court has slammed the board of “running a prohibitory regime and monopolising cricket.” The media in India has religiously followed the Court’s observations.
The Apex Court has been critical of the board for its reluctance to implement the recommendations of the Lodha panel. The panel was constituted by the Supreme Court to bring in structural reforms within the board.
Some of the recommendations of the Lodha panel include having one vote for one board. There are several State boards in India, which have multiple votes presently.
The panel also recommended the board to have an official from the Comptroller and Auditor General’s office within the cash-rich Indian Premier League.
It also suggested that cricket betting be legalised in an effort to fight match-fixing and have no government officials and ministers within the board. The BCCI so far has shied away to implemented these reforms.
Stung by the Supreme Court’s criticism Thakur said: “the BCCI has introduced several reforms over the past 15 years even before the Lodha panel recommendations.”
He said, even during the Jagmohan Dalmia and Inderjit Singh Bindra (former BCCI presidents) era, several reforms were undertaken within the BCCI. “You feel strange when people say that there was no reform within the BCCI over the years,” he reiterated.
Nonetheless, Thakur said, the task before him is to bring about more reforms within the board, be more transparent and accountable to Cricket fans around the country.
Stating “every day is a challenge” Thakur said, the board has started numbering of seats in cricket stadiums to ensure ticket holders “get their seats” in the sometimes charged-up and chaotic cricket stadiums across the nation.
He also highlighted the board’s effort to build green stadiums, focusing on rain water harvesting and solar energy for lighting. Thakur’s parting shot was rather caustic targeted at the board’s critics.
“Some people want the BCCI to do everything, even look after the water and electricity problems in the country. We are not a Government organisation. We are a sports organisation,” he blasted.
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