The Central Information Commission (CIC) verdict to bring the Board of Control for Cricket in India under the Right to Information Act should be wholeheartedly welcomed, since it implies that the board will now be answerable to the people of India which has been the driving force behind the game’s popularity and success in the country.
The board should be held accountable under the RTI Act because it is deemed to be performing “state functions” such as selecting a cricket team to represent the country and there should not be any second thoughts over this decision which has been long overdue. Not only the BCCI, but all state associations should also be brought under the RTI.
Bringing the cricket bodies under scrutiny would only bring about transparency in operations and literally nullify the corruption quotient. Any arguments on adverse fallout on the game are out of sheer reluctance to fall in line. The game of cricket is about big money. Thousands of crores of public money is transacted. There are hefty player contracts, broadcast and sponsorship rights translating into millions or rupees and there is foreign currency involved too.
Not all has been hunky-dory in Indian cricket over the years. Underneath the glamour and the high-stake contests, the sport has been clouded under a veil of suspicion. Crucial decisions have sparked off controversies and key questions have gone unanswered. There have been eyebrows raised over commercially-connected deals, including sale of telecast rights and tendering processes. The cash-rich IPL, where foreign players have even opted to ignore their national commitments for the sake of the league, sums up how lucratively compelling this derby is. And there has been no trace of the quantum of money that is being involved, not that the public know of. Enter RTI and a lot will change. Public will have a right to know how the money has been channelled, the way cricket has been managed and even why their favourite player was dropped from the team.
There have been hunches over team selections and the IPL influences in choosing teams, there have been suspicions over the huge endorsements for commercials playing a role in selections. And there have been questions raised over franchises themselves. Being custodians of the game, the ball will now be in BCCI’s court. The fact that the BCCI managed to steer away from the RTI for so long only goes to show the political power it wields. It’s time to let go the freedom it enjoyed and open up this space which had no external controls. And for BCCI that will be a bitter pill to swallow. The fact that the board is challenging the order only goes to show how insecure it is of being exposed to public scrutiny.
The RTI Act is only to ensure that business is conducted in all its fairness and transparency. It has been part of the Indian system and has been a huge success for over a decade. There is no real reason to believe that it can play spoilsport to cricket.
