 "Brand IPL goes for a toss as spot-fixing takes centre stage")
The multi-billion-dollar Indian Premier League (IPL), which was racing to a grand finale with packed stadia and rising TV viewership, got a rude wake-up call this morning, as the Delhi Police arrested three Indian players donning blue jerseys for Rajasthan Royals, one of the top teams this season, for spot-fixing.
Also arrested were 11 bookies who had paid Rs 1.2 crore to the three players for bowling one "fixed" over each in three matches over the past 10 days. Significant amount of cash had been recovered from the accused and underworld links were being probed, the police said.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) began the firefighting early, suspending the tainted players - S Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan - and referring the matter to a disciplinary panel headed by senior member Arun Jaitley. A city court, meanwhile, allowed the Delhi Police to quiz the 14 accused for five days in their custody. (THE THREE ARRESTED ROYALS)
As the credibility of the "keenly-contested" matches and "last-ball" finishes took a hit, the damage to 'Brand IPL' seemed inevitable. The degree, though, could depend on the extent of the rot, said experts. T Gangadhar, MD of media agency MEC India, said: "If the allegations are true, it can damage the brand." Another media buyer, whose clients have taken spots on the tourney, said: "No client has come back asking what to do, but the timing could not have been worse. It is unfortunate. So far, there was good buzz about IPL and advertisers were happy; this season will now be remembered for spot-fixing."
BCCI President N Srinivasan said: "It was a bolt from the blue. BCCI is shocked; we never expected this. We acted the moment we found out. We will take action according to our rules and disciplinary procedure. I hope nobody else is involved. We will not tolerate corruption in cricket."
Rajasthan Royals also said it had zero tolerance for "anything against the spirit of the game". Its statement added: "We will fully cooperate with the authorities to ensure thorough investigation."
Rajasthan Royals captain Rahul Dravid said: "I am shocked, disappointed, and distressed by the events. Spot-fixing and corruption have hung over the game of cricket, and I know BCCI and my team take the same zero-tolerance view of it. As a captain and leader, I have to focus on ensuring the team plays to its enormous potential, the 'Rajasthan Royals' way."
BCCI is said to have taken some precautions ahead of the start of the league. A player from one of the other teams said: "Before start of any season, players are briefed on the kind of lucrative offers bookies could offer and how one should stay away from those. It is unfortunate if this turns out to be true."
In an television interview, former IPL commissioner, Lalit Modi, said he had forwarded some emails to BCCI officials and IPL CEO Sundar Raman (which he received from Edward Hawkins, a British journalist) that said a few IPL 2013 matches were likely to be fixed. "The administration is to be blamed for this. There is no mechanism to govern IPL now. Administrators are destroying it by changing rules. I believe there are many more people involved; there is more to this controversy and this is just the tip of the iceberg. There are question marks on how the IPL players are being paid today," Modi said.
Taking a dig at Srinivasan, Modi said he had not created a monster (IPL), but the monster was "sitting in Chennai".
Both Modi's and Raman's phones were switched off.
This is not the first time spot-fixers have surfaced in the much-followed local league that is in its sixth season. Last year, Hindi news channel India TV had in a sting operation caught five players offering to fix spots. All five - T P Sudhindra (of now-defunct Deccan Chargers), Mohnish Mishra (Pune Warriors), Amit Yadav, Shalabh Srivastava (Kings XI Punjab) and Abhinav Bali (Delhi Daredevils), were suspended.
The Delhi Police, which has lately been facing the flak for failing in its duties on the home turf, has this time come out all guns blazing - nabbing alleged violators in three matches held far away from its jurisdiction. Chandila was caught in the act during a match against Pune Warriors on May 5 in Jaipur, while Sreesanth gave away runs on bookie's cues against Kings XI Punjab in Mohali and Chavan against Mumbai Indians in Mumbai yesterday.
Explaining the sequence of events, Delhi police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar said: "We have been working since April, and have seen only three players involved. We let them do this, and waited for Chavan - a compromised player, we knew - to do what he wanted. Then, we knew we won't get more evidence. So, we arrested them." Kumar also ruled out involvement of foreign players and teams other than Rajasthan Royals, saying the police had not got any evidence against people other than these.
Even as the three players were arrested, flown to Delhi and produced in court, their family members alleged conspiracy by rivals. When asked, Sreesanth's family alleged the operation was initiated by Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Mumbai Indian's Harbhajan Singh. On this, Kumar said: "Dhoni did not put towel in his trousers."
Also arrested were 11 bookies who had paid Rs 1.2 crore to the three players for bowling one "fixed" over each in three matches over the past 10 days. Significant amount of cash had been recovered from the accused and underworld links were being probed, the police said.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) began the firefighting early, suspending the tainted players - S Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan - and referring the matter to a disciplinary panel headed by senior member Arun Jaitley. A city court, meanwhile, allowed the Delhi Police to quiz the 14 accused for five days in their custody. (THE THREE ARRESTED ROYALS)
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Spot-fixing refers to fixing of particular spots in a match, such as a ball or an over, as against match-fixing, which seeks to fix the outcome of the match itself.
As the credibility of the "keenly-contested" matches and "last-ball" finishes took a hit, the damage to 'Brand IPL' seemed inevitable. The degree, though, could depend on the extent of the rot, said experts. T Gangadhar, MD of media agency MEC India, said: "If the allegations are true, it can damage the brand." Another media buyer, whose clients have taken spots on the tourney, said: "No client has come back asking what to do, but the timing could not have been worse. It is unfortunate. So far, there was good buzz about IPL and advertisers were happy; this season will now be remembered for spot-fixing."
BCCI President N Srinivasan said: "It was a bolt from the blue. BCCI is shocked; we never expected this. We acted the moment we found out. We will take action according to our rules and disciplinary procedure. I hope nobody else is involved. We will not tolerate corruption in cricket."
Rajasthan Royals also said it had zero tolerance for "anything against the spirit of the game". Its statement added: "We will fully cooperate with the authorities to ensure thorough investigation."
Rajasthan Royals captain Rahul Dravid said: "I am shocked, disappointed, and distressed by the events. Spot-fixing and corruption have hung over the game of cricket, and I know BCCI and my team take the same zero-tolerance view of it. As a captain and leader, I have to focus on ensuring the team plays to its enormous potential, the 'Rajasthan Royals' way."
BCCI is said to have taken some precautions ahead of the start of the league. A player from one of the other teams said: "Before start of any season, players are briefed on the kind of lucrative offers bookies could offer and how one should stay away from those. It is unfortunate if this turns out to be true."
In an television interview, former IPL commissioner, Lalit Modi, said he had forwarded some emails to BCCI officials and IPL CEO Sundar Raman (which he received from Edward Hawkins, a British journalist) that said a few IPL 2013 matches were likely to be fixed. "The administration is to be blamed for this. There is no mechanism to govern IPL now. Administrators are destroying it by changing rules. I believe there are many more people involved; there is more to this controversy and this is just the tip of the iceberg. There are question marks on how the IPL players are being paid today," Modi said.
Taking a dig at Srinivasan, Modi said he had not created a monster (IPL), but the monster was "sitting in Chennai".
Both Modi's and Raman's phones were switched off.
This is not the first time spot-fixers have surfaced in the much-followed local league that is in its sixth season. Last year, Hindi news channel India TV had in a sting operation caught five players offering to fix spots. All five - T P Sudhindra (of now-defunct Deccan Chargers), Mohnish Mishra (Pune Warriors), Amit Yadav, Shalabh Srivastava (Kings XI Punjab) and Abhinav Bali (Delhi Daredevils), were suspended.
The Delhi Police, which has lately been facing the flak for failing in its duties on the home turf, has this time come out all guns blazing - nabbing alleged violators in three matches held far away from its jurisdiction. Chandila was caught in the act during a match against Pune Warriors on May 5 in Jaipur, while Sreesanth gave away runs on bookie's cues against Kings XI Punjab in Mohali and Chavan against Mumbai Indians in Mumbai yesterday.
Explaining the sequence of events, Delhi police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar said: "We have been working since April, and have seen only three players involved. We let them do this, and waited for Chavan - a compromised player, we knew - to do what he wanted. Then, we knew we won't get more evidence. So, we arrested them." Kumar also ruled out involvement of foreign players and teams other than Rajasthan Royals, saying the police had not got any evidence against people other than these.
Even as the three players were arrested, flown to Delhi and produced in court, their family members alleged conspiracy by rivals. When asked, Sreesanth's family alleged the operation was initiated by Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Mumbai Indian's Harbhajan Singh. On this, Kumar said: "Dhoni did not put towel in his trousers."