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Indian Premier League 2009
Indian sports minister raps BCCI over IPL mobile contest
Cricinfo staff
May 10, 2009
Indian sports minister MS Gill has censured the use of a text-messaging competition during the IPL whereby users predict the number of runs per over for cash prizes, terming it akin to betting and gambling which are banned in India. Gill criticised the Indian board (BCCI) for allowing the SMS competition to go on and asked them to restrain the IPL authorities.
"I see the commercial use of cricket for business gains that is going on. I am concerned at knowledgeable comments from serious followers of cricket about the latest venture of encouraging viewers to make ball-by-ball predictions of runs scored for economic gain in the shape of cash prizes," Gill said.
"This is viewed as 'openly encouraging gambling and betting', which official bodies do not resort to, even in countries where betting is legal; all this 'to make money and enlarge their TV viewership base'".
Referring to the match-fixing scandal of 2000, Gill said the BCCI should have refrained from promoting the SMS competition. "Cricket is part of the family of sports in our country. Its current riches do not set it apart from other games," he said. "The actions of the BCCI are bound to impact the thinking in other sports, sometime or the other. We have already had, sometime back, a match-fixing scandal in the game. It seems the ICC had expressed concerns about such possibilities, in the IPL."
Last month, ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat had told Cricinfo about concern in cricket's governing body over the risk of corruption in the Twenty20 format. "We are mindful that with Twenty20 cricket there is great excitement and money. Put those ingredients into a pot and there is a higher concern." His statements echoed those of Sir Paul Condon, the head of the ICC's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit, Sir Paul Condon, who last year told the council's executive board meeting, "the IPL brings with it the biggest threat in terms of corruption in the game since the days of cricket in Sharjah."
"A lot of effort has gone into this concept and into making this possible. It's a valid point [that it could be perceived as gambling on a match]," Lalit Modi, the IPL chairman and commissioner, told the Times of India, "But the margin of something like that happening is one in a million. If this game works, fine. If not, then we will leave it aside."
George Tomeski, managing partner of 6UP, the competition in concern, was quoted as saying by the Hindustan Times that the strategy team had taken legal consultation. "We have taken a legal opinion at the highest level and have spoken to former solicitor generals. They found it to be a skill game, not betting," he said. "To influence the outcome of an over, one needs to approach and convince more than one player. The outcome of an over isn't determined by a single player, everyone present on the field plays a role in it."
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Mr. Gill, you talk about match fixing - and you field Azar, who was banned for match fixing as your party's candidate in the elections, talk about double standards...
Posted by uday911 on (May 11 2009, 09:52 AM GMT)When was the last time we heard MS Gill's name in the press for doing wonders for olympic sports in the country? Hard as it is to resist the temptation, Mr. Gill is advised to stop doing a Ramadoss for the sake of publicity and please focus on what he has been instated for.
Posted by SmrutiCricket on (May 11 2009, 08:04 AM GMT)Ok the messaging stuff is some point.But why hasn't our honorable Sports minister do something about sports in india , he doesnt even care about cricket , its the BCCI which earns so much for cricket in india (IDK whether they spend it on cricket or not), i alwayz njoy cricket.Thrs no infrastructure or facilities for other sports , i hope other sportsman shall come and join cricket so they can make some money and fame... Note : Those who say it cannot be done!! should not interrupt the person doing it..
Posted by bonogodo on (May 11 2009, 06:34 AM GMT)I think there is immense responsibility here, and ideals must be maintained. Money is becoming hegemonic in over-riding ideals. I would have no problem if the IPL was unaffiliated to a national Sports body, but the question is that it is; and the main purpose of such a body is to ensure national/sport credibility. I think Mr. Haroon's point of money and cricket is very relevant, and unless it is addressed at this point, its trajectory will soar before an inevitable crash to the basics.
Posted by HundredPercentBarcelonista on (May 11 2009, 00:48 AM GMT)If this is gambling then what about those countless "talent" shows where fans decide the winner. Is that not gambling? Or is it okay because it's not really a sport? It's people like Gill who are responsible for the sad state of Indian sports. They can't think of any means to make these sports self-sustaining and when an autonomous body comes up with an idea they just shoot it down.
Posted by HipHipHurray on (May 10 2009, 21:26 PM GMT)Why can't a batsman play out a full over without scoring and thus earn his share with the guy predicting 0.0.0.0.0.0? This is something that regular betting market (aka satta) plays. As per some country laws if the organiser of the 'event' keeps a cut, it is considered gambling. I am pretty sure that is happening here with 6UP. It is gambling disguised as "skill".
Posted by cooldude73 on (May 10 2009, 21:01 PM GMT)Is cricinfo site run by some egotists and chavunists who cant see the prosperous ways of BCCI and cricket in India. It supports ICL and IPL as equals. Publishes some gossip news on an newspaper which doesnt have any link with cricket. It would have been better if cricinfo devoted time to grassroot levels of cricket in India at the same level they do for county cricket in England.
Posted by Pistons7 on (May 10 2009, 19:52 PM GMT)I have no problem with IPL making money. What I have problem is BCCI getting task cuts from government. BCCI doesn't pay taxes even for IPL. I feel they should be taxed and use the money for improving Olympic sports. The other issue is how much BCCI have done in proving the infrastructure of stadiums in India. They take spectators for granted. They can do so much to improve the quality of the stadiums back home. I strongly feel BCCI along with IPL should pay taxes. We pay entertainment tax for tickets.
Posted by masumaman on (May 10 2009, 18:57 PM GMT)Mr. Fo4r, Mr. Lalit Modi said cheer for a bowl out, he did not say it will be a bowl out. And by the way it is super over now, not a bowl out. Bowl out was the previous one. I am not a Lalit Modi supporter because of his double standards with ICL. But you still have to respect the person. Because he is a perfect business man. This year's IPL in South Africa has proved this statement. He is earning a lot of money for BCCI. I believe yes the sports minister is right by banning this contest because it is a type of gamble and it might lead to match fixing. India and South Africa both teams suffered because of this in the past. We do not want to reapeat this history. So I support the Sports Minister ( MS Gill ).
Posted by pankajkumarsingh on (May 10 2009, 16:58 PM GMT)This is what the Sports Minister says.... 'to make money and enlarge their TV viewership base'". Exactly what is wrong with that? In India, it seems, its a crime to be rich and make money. IPL was a 100% money making engine. If you all think there is corruption and Lalit Modi is out there trying to fool you, then stop watching IPL. Mr. Fo4r - If Lalit Modi was smart enough to pull off a super over, then he cant be fool enough to declare that out in the open. I'd have to add that by saying "DLF Maximum" (which a few of you have a problem with), it brings in some extra bucks. A portion of those extra bucks made will be going to about 60 schools and 300 (5 per match) students. Isnt that a nice thing? Ok, Lalit Modi and party is getting richer... Very good for him. I hope he makes it to Forbes Top 100. I am lovin the criket part... The minister should spend some time working on other sports. Sports Minitry has not done anything for Cricket (or any sport for that matter)