 "Sports Minister is working hard on anti-sports fraud bill")
Asserting that the Justice Mudgal committee indictment of corruption in IPL strengthened the case for bringing cricket within the ambit of an anti-fraud bill, Sports Minister Jitendra Singh today said the legislation is necessary to stop such malpractices.
The bill seeks to address issues such as match-fixing, deliberate under-performance and leaking of sensitive information.
While the Minister said the IPL match-fixing matter was sub-judice, he insisted that the Sports Ministry, on its part, was working hard on trying to pass the anti-sports fraud bill so that the ills in sports could be prevented.
"But as a Sports Minister, of course when such matters come to light, one gets very disturbed and feels that there should be a proper legislation, proper mechanisms in place both in law and in government. That's why we have been working very hard on the anti-sports fraud bill," he added.
Jitendra said that the bill was in the final stages of consultations before he could present it in the cabinet.
"The final consultation needs to happen. We have consulted all the ministries and also put it in public domain. We have also consulted the National Sports Federations.
"Comments are awaited from the Ministry of Home Affairs only. I have requested the honourable Home Minister also to quickly send us his comments, so that we can table it in the cabinet before introducing it in the Parliament. We want to do it in this session itself," he revealed.
Jitendra said that his Ministry was also keen to pass the Sports Development bill so that all the NSFs, including the Indian Cricket Board could come under the RTI.
The bill seeks to address issues such as match-fixing, deliberate under-performance and leaking of sensitive information.
While the Minister said the IPL match-fixing matter was sub-judice, he insisted that the Sports Ministry, on its part, was working hard on trying to pass the anti-sports fraud bill so that the ills in sports could be prevented.
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"The matter is sub-judice. The report has been submitted. I don't think I should be commenting on the matter, which is subjudice," he said.
"But as a Sports Minister, of course when such matters come to light, one gets very disturbed and feels that there should be a proper legislation, proper mechanisms in place both in law and in government. That's why we have been working very hard on the anti-sports fraud bill," he added.
Jitendra said that the bill was in the final stages of consultations before he could present it in the cabinet.
"The final consultation needs to happen. We have consulted all the ministries and also put it in public domain. We have also consulted the National Sports Federations.
"Comments are awaited from the Ministry of Home Affairs only. I have requested the honourable Home Minister also to quickly send us his comments, so that we can table it in the cabinet before introducing it in the Parliament. We want to do it in this session itself," he revealed.
Jitendra said that his Ministry was also keen to pass the Sports Development bill so that all the NSFs, including the Indian Cricket Board could come under the RTI.