After the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) threatened to call off on going series against New Zealand, Justice RM Lodha-led panel on Tuesday clarified that didn’t the bank to freeze the accounts of the Board and it carry on with its routine expenses.
After the BCCI refused to accept the recommendations of the Lodha Panel, which is directed by the Supreme Court, the Lodha panel had asked the banks, where BCCI hold accounts, not to disburse large funds to the state associations, a decision taken by the Board at its special meeting on September 30.
Lodha, however, clarifying on Tuesday said, “We have not frozen the accounts of BCCI, we have directed the BCCI to not disburse funds to the state association. Day to day affairs, routine expenditure, matches, games, that should go on. There is absolutely no prohibition.”
The BCCI had said that the state associations are dependent on the parent body to organize matches and they were unable to carry on their functioning in the wake of the latest directive from the Lodha panel.
A senior BCCI official said, “The members are pained at the treatment meted out to them. They are depended on BCCI's funds for organizing matches. So far seven associations have communicated their inability to host games in the home season while nine of them have inquired about the matter. If things are the way they are, the series (against New Zealand) could be called off by today evening.”
“There is too much interference at the moment. People need to realise India has become a cricketing super power under BCCI's administration. We are the only sports body which has not taken a single penny from anyone including the government. We have created the entire infrastructure on our own,” he said.
BCCI President Anurag Thakur, on Monday, warned that India may have to pull out of next year’s Champions Trophy in England if the BCCI implements the Committee recommendations.
However, Lodha made it clear that as the schedule of the Champions Trophy has already been prepared a year ago, recommendations won’t affect India’s participation. “If Champions Trophy calendar was already settled a year back, our recommendations won't affect that,” he said.
By Prajakt K.
