Modi denies discontent among IPL franchise owners

Lalit Modi, the Indian Premier League commissioner, has denied that the franchise owners were unhappy about not being compensated for the extra expenditure incurred during the 2009 tournament in South Africa.

"It's absolute hogwash and there's no truth or merit in the reports that have appeared. Our franchise owners are not like that," Modi said. "It's an ongoing process. Part-payments were done. It has to go to the IPL Governing Council for approval."

The first edition of the IPL was held in India in 2008. The second was shifted to South Africa because the tournament was scheduled to be held at the same time as the general elections in India, and the government could not guarantee adequate security. The shift in venue involved extra costs for all the franchises, who were promised compensation by the IPL. The tournament will return to India for the third edition next year.