BCCI gives conditional approval for Team India’s participation in Olympics and Commonwealth Games

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has given conditional approval for the Indian cricket teams, taking part in the Commonwealth Games and Olympics. On Friday, April 16, the Apex Council of the world’s richest cricket board said that it will allow the women’s and men’s teams to participate in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics if the autonomy of the BCCI isn’t affected.

The Indian board has mostly been wary of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) having an influence in its functioning. For the time being, BCCI has given a green signal for the national teams’ participation in the 2028 and the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

However, the Sourav Ganguly-led cricket board also plans to interact with the associations, whose autonomy didn’t get affected after taking part in the Olympics.

BCCI presses the green signal, but with subject to conditions

“We do not want to be bossed over by the IOA that is the bottom line. We will seek clarity on the roles. The participation is subject to the BCCI’s identity and independence not being compromised,” a BCCI source was quoted as saying to Cricbuzz.

In the meantime, the BCCI has allowed the State Associations to conduct T20 leagues. Saurashtra, Mumbai, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu are the states that conduct regional T20 tournaments. Permissions for leagues like TNPL and KPL were withdrawn after cases of corruption emerged.

“As long as they are not around the IPL and all anti-corruption and BCCI norms are followed, they can conduct the leagues,” the source added.

In the meeting, decisions regarding the domestic cricket itinerary were also made. The Ranji Trophy had to be shelved earlier this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But the upcoming edition has been scheduled for January-March 2022.

Even as the Vijay Hazare One-Day tournament will be held in November, the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy is set to take place in September-October. The Cooch-Behar Under-19 Trophy will take place from November to January.

For the time being, the BCCI is focussed on the uninterrupted conduct of the 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL). The matches are being played behind closed doors as a precautionary measure to the pandemic.