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Leagues and Governing Bodies

India's Supreme Court Rules N. Srinivasan Must Choose Between BCCI, Chennai Super Kings

India's Supreme Court on Thursday told suspended Board of Control for Cricket in India President N. Srinivasan to "choose between keeping the post" and his involvement with Indian Premier League side Chennai Super Kings, "one of the teams caught up in a gambling scandal," according to Avantika Chilkoti of the FINANCIAL TIMES. In its "landmark ruling, the court cited conflicts of interest" by Srinivasan, who was forced to step aside as president of the sport's governing body in India pending an investigation into the "illegal betting scandal" that marred the '13 IPL tournament. The court said, however, "there was no evidence to support allegations of a cover-up of any involvement" by Srinivasan in the long-running match-fixing scandal. Supreme Court Lawyer Sanjay Hegde said, "The court is only concerned with cricket being played fairly. The same person can't be player and umpire ... The game has to be bigger than any individual" (FT, 1/22). In Chennai, Krishnadas Rajagopal reported this mean that Srinivasan, who is the managing director of India Cements, "the company which owns the Chennai Super Kings, has to shed his equity in the CSK to be eligible to contest the BCCI elections." As a "prelude to this direction, the Bench held the February 2008 amendment to rule 6.2.4," which allowed cricket administrators to become team owners, as "void and ineffective," while observing that the amendment "perpetuates" conflict of interest in the "running of the popular game." The court further confirmed the Justice Mukul Mudgal probe committee's findings by holding Srinivasan's son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan and Raj Kundra, part-owner of Rajasthan Royals IPL team, "guilty of betting." It dismissed claims made that Meiyappan was "no team official but a cricket enthusiast." Justice T.S. Thakur, who wrote the judgment, said there was "enough evidence to prove" that Meiyappan was a team official "privy to sensitive information" (THE HINDU, 1/22). The PTI reported while Srinivasan refused to speak to media "outside his house in Chennai, the other top BCCI officials also didn't make any comments on the Supreme Court's verdict." However, the BCCI officials were "quick to point out" that "it will entirely be Srinivasan's call on his future" as he will have to choose between BCCI and his franchise. Srinivasan will "certainly discuss with his legal team and take a call." The Supreme Court has given its verdict and "obviously there are a lot of implications involved with any decision that is taken right now" (PTI, 1/22).

COURT ORDERS ELECTIONS: CRICBUZZ reported the Court asked the BCCI to hold elections "within the next six months." The Court "clearly stated that no individual with commercial interests will be allowed to contest the elections." As for Meiyappan and Kundra, the SC has set up a three-member committee to decide the punishment. The SC's order came after "17 months of hearings and investigations in relation to the role of BCCI and IPL administrators in the IPL controversy" (CRICBUZZ, 1/21).

VERDICT HAILED: The PTI reported former cricket administrators "hailed the Supreme Court verdict." Former BCCI and ICC CEO Sharad Pawar said that the SC decision will "bring to an end to all the unwanted things that have been happening in Indian cricket for some time." He said, "I am happy Srinivasan is out. Many things have been happening in cricket for so long and this verdict will help in ending them." Pawar, however, "ruled himself out of taking up responsibility to lead the Board." Another former BCCI CEO, A.C. Muthiah, asked Srinivasan to also quit as president of the Int'l Cricket Council. Muthiah: "He (Srinivasan) has to come out of ICC. How can he be there in ICC when he is not wanted in his own country?" S. Bindra, another former BCCI President, said that the current office bearers of the Board "should also be taken to task." He said, "The court showed no faith in BCCI and set up its own inquiry committee. All of them are guilty. People who did not take action for last -- months are equally responsible" (PTI, 1/22). Muthiah added, "Srinivasan got a bit cocky, he thought nobody could bring him down. He must be angry with judgement" (PTI, 1/22).

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