What should have been the job of the Central government had to be undertaken by the Supreme Court “ reforming the Board for Control of Cricket in India. With the apex court accepting most of the recommendations of the R M Lodha committee, cricket administration in the country will never be the same again. The entrenched interests have been uprooted. The politicians have been tamed and the bureaucrats have been booted out. For decades, the BCCI had been run like a private club with players, who make the game, enjoying second class status. The clout enjoyed by administrators was immense and the game quickly fell into disrepute. All this is set to change.
Of the directives issued by the court, the most important is the one that prevents administrators from holding dual posts. From now on, ministers are barred from holding posts in the BCCI and state associations. This bar will restrict the role of politicians in cricket and ensure that the focus of administrators is not divided. The bar on bureaucrats is also welcome for the same reason. How can a bureaucrat wear two hats? How can he undertake two roles which differ in nature? Either one or the other will suffer and this has been the case with the BCCI.
The second blow to entrenched interests is the directive that members of the governing body of the BCCI could serve for three terms with a cooling-off period between each term. This will naturally empower members to speak freely on issues without fear of losing their posts because they are going to lose them anyway.
Also, those above the age of 70 will have to retire. This effectively puts an end to the tenures of Sharad Pawar and N Srinivasan, who still harboured the hope of returning to the helm of affairs. Farooq Abdullah who is 78 years of age will also have to bid adieu. The reasoning of the court was that a player is active from a period of 18 to 35 years, which means he could contribute to the growth of the game for a period of three decades, but cannot do so because the posts are filled by aging warhorses who refuse to quit to make room for fresh faces.
Not everyone is on the same page as the Supreme Court on the formation of player associations, but this is essential for the well-being of the game and the players. Giving the players rights effectively gives them a voice. The court observed that the BCCI treats players like employees instead of assets and this relation is now poised to undergo a sea of change. The BCCI will not only have to form a players’ associations but also fund it. Many believe that cricketers are already a spoilt lot and formation of an association would only make it worse. This is just an excuse to avoid empowering players to speak out.
Ideally, the BCCI should have reformed itself, but so entrenched were the interests that nothing changed. Then came allegations of match-fixing and betting and conflict of interest in the IPL and the court stepped in. It was time a few checks and balances were introduced to bring a balance in the BCCI and more importantly give those who play the game a greater say in it. In that sense, the Supreme Court has done cricket a huge favour. If only something similar could be undertaken for politics.
