BCCI official reacts after Virat Kohli comes under 'conflict of interest' scanner

Recently, Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association’s member Sanjeev Gupta had accused the Indian skipper Virat Kohli of breaching the Lodha Panel recommendations. In the mail to BCCI’s Ethics Officer DK Jain, Sanjeev had stated that there is a ‘conflict of interest’ by the Indian captain.

Gupta in his complaint to DK Jain said that Kohli is managing two major positions, leading the Indian team and being the director of a sports marketing company which is not acceptable as per the Lodha Committee. Sanjeev had provided the proofs of the Indian captain’s involvement with VIRAT KOHLI SPORTS LLP company which has two Directors/Owners namely Virat Kohli & Amit Arun Sajdeh and CORNERSTONE VENTURE PARTNERS LLP which has three Directors/Owners namely Virat Kohli, Amit Arun Sajdeh and Binoy Bharat Khimji.

However, this didn’t go well with the members of the Indian cricket board. As per News18, a BCCI executive said that the complaint email looks motivated and is an attack to degrade the image of BCCI and the Indian captain on and off the field. He further added that it is an effort to create a nuisance and to achieve some hidden agendas.

“One look at the complaint email and you know it is motivated. Someone is clearly trying to attack the office bearers of the BCCI and now the captain of Indian team for some hidden reason. With what has happened over the last 6 years, this pattern is clearly visible. I mean just see at the number of addresses on the email and the language, the intention is clearly to scream off the rooftops to malign people who are successful. There’s clearly some motivation. For these kinds of complaints, the concept of locus standi should be a necessity. Otherwise, there will be no end to nuisance and blackmail,” the executive pointed out.

These complications are not good for the game

A former Indian player also expressed his disappointment over such incidents. He termed it as an attempt to derail BCCI. The cricketer further added that such things help the unwanted elements to get into the game.

“Can you really rule out the involvement of the betting syndicate in all this? More the confusion, better the scenario for the unwanted elements. It is an attempt to derail BCCI both on and off the field,” the former cricketer said.

A source close to the Indian skipper also commented on the turn of events. He stated that such kind of malicious complaints can play with the mental health of the players and can affect their game.

“Our cricketers have a shelf life and they have to earn what they can during that period. Such kind of malicious complaints will start playing on their minds and performances will suffer. Such people are only interested in publicity with no care for the impact such insinuations can have on the players and their families. These complications are not good for the game and only give rise to babudom,” the source exclaimed.