BCCI and Assam Cricket

After years of hiding serious mischief under the carpet, after years of dodging and pretence, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has accepted the findings of the three-member R.M.Lodha Committee appointed by the Supreme Court with remarkable grace and humility. The Lodha committee has banned former Cheni Super Kings team official Guruth Meiyappan and former Rajasthan Royals co-owner Raj Kundra from participating in any cricket activity during their lifetime for match-fixing activities. It has also suspended the two cricket teams from IPL matches for two years. Since the punishments carry the weight of a court judgement, the BCCI is unlikely to approach the Supreme Court on the Lodha committee’s punishments. The BCCI obviously does not want other skeletons in its cupboard to start tumbling out. After all, there must be many more skeletons still remaining. One can only hope against hope that this could usher in a clean break from earlier dirty ways for BCCI. But what about the Assam Cricket Association (ACA) that too is steeped in corrupt practices? For years, we have had a secretary, who despite being a government  officer, maged to remain absent from office for 13 years without being punished. How can even one good, honest and unbiased decision emerge from a man who takes such a cavalier view of corrupt practices? And how can our politicians who have a stranglehold on the ACA do any better if they can protect such a man for 13 years? He is reported to have resigned from government service but still mages to get massive police protection when cricket players want to meet him about their grievances. What can the government have to say when instead of punishing such an officer it still continues to offer him undeserved protection? Such office-bearers can only do the kind of harm to our sports that our politicians have done to numerous sports bodies in India for years.