NEW DELHI: Cricket’s Indian Premier League was thrown into turmoil Tuesday when a Supreme Court-appointed panel suspended two of the eight teams after officials were found guilty of illegally betting on matches.
Chennai Super Kings, led by India’s one-day international captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, and Rajasthan Royals, skippered by star Australian batsman Steve Smith, had been hoping to escape with heavy fines.
But a tribunal led by former chief justice Rajendra Mal Lodha announced they would be banned from the next two editions of the annual six-week tournament to protect “the integrity of the game.”
Gurunath Meiyappan — the son-in-law of Narayanaswami Srinivasan, the Chennai franchise owner and the current boss of the International Cricket Council — was banned for life from cricket-related activities.
A similar punishment was handed down to Raj Kundra, co-owner of the Rajasthan team and husband of Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty.
“Their conduct has affected the image of the game, the players and others associated with the tournament,” Lodha told reporters while revealing his three-member panel’s verdict in the capital New Delhi.
Asked about the financial losses of players from the two teams, Lodha said: “We did not consider financial losses to players and teams. That is not significant. The integrity of the game is what matters.”
The outcome could have major financial consequences for the glitzy Twenty20 league which draws some of the biggest names in world cricket and raises questions over the future of the two franchises which are both former champions.
It was not immediately clear whether the two franchises can be sold, thus allowing the cricketers to continue to be part of the IPL.
There was also no immediate reaction from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
“Huge injury has been caused to the image of cricket which is a passion for millions of people,” Lodha said.
“They (Meiyappan and and Kundra) have brought the game to disrepute.
“The purity of the game has been affected. Fans feel cheated and doubts abound if the IPL is clean.”
Lodha was appointed head of the sentencing panel in January after the Supreme Court had found Kundra and Meiyappan guilty of betting on the outcome of matches in 2013.
“Meiyappan was an integral part of the team,” said Lodha. “By regularly placing bets he acted in gross violations of the rules of the game. He suffered a loss of 60,000,00 rupees ($94,560) in bets.”
The hugely popular Chennai Super Kings are the most successful team in the IPL, having won the tournament in 2010 and 2011. They finished runners-up in 2008, 2012, 2013 and 2015.
Rajasthan Royals won the inaugural event in 2008 under the captaincy of Australian spin legend Shane Warne, but have failed to make the final since then.
The 2013 IPL season was mired in controversy after police launched legal proceedings against several officials and three Rajasthan Royals players, including former Test fast bowler Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, for illegal betting and spot-fixing.
The IPL, which is broadcast around the world, is hugely popular in India with its mix of sport and showbiz, with a number of teams fronted by big Bollywood names.
But it has been continuously dogged by corruption allegations and on Monday Hiken Shah, a first-class player from Mumbai, was suspended over an approach he made to an unnamed team-mate before this year’s tournament in April-May.
International news organizations including Agence France-Presse have suspended on-field coverage of matches hosted by the BCCI since 2012 after the board imposed restrictions on picture agencies.
Indian Premier League in crisis as teams banned in betting scandal
Indian Premier League in crisis as teams banned in betting scandal
Rabiot double lifts Milan after early scare at Como
- Milan are second in the standings on 43 points, three behind rivals Inter Milan and three clear of Napoli in third, while Como are sixth with 34 points
COMO, Italy: AC Milan came from behind to earn a 3-1 victory at Como on Thursday, with Adrien Rabiot scoring twice to keep the away side in the Serie A title race.
Milan are second in the standings on 43 points, three behind rivals Inter Milan and three clear of Napoli in third, while Como are sixth with 34 points.
Como made the brighter start and took the lead after 10 minutes when Marc-Oliver Kempf rose to head home a corner.
Despite the hosts controlling much of the first half, Milan struck in stoppage time as Christopher Nkunku calmly converted from the penalty spot after Kempf was penalized for pushing Rabiot.
Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan produced a series of strong saves to keep Como at bay after the break before Milan took the lead in the 55th minute when Rabiot knocked the ball in from close range.
Como were denied an equalizer as Nico Paz saw his effort from outside the box crash against the crossbar. Milan then sealed the win two minutes from time when Rabiot caught the Como defense off guard with a low strike from distance that crept into the bottom corner.
“This was a team victory, we showed our mentality,” Rabiot told DAZN after being named Man of the Match.
“We suffered a lot in the first half, but we talked during the break, came out with a different mentality, we all came out fighting for the three points.
“We gave something extra and I am very happy to score two goals, obviously, but above all I’m pleased with the mentality of the team.”
While Rabiot provided the goals, another Frenchman, goalkeeper Maignan, made his mark with a string of crucial saves.
“We knew that playing here would be difficult, we were well-prepared. We started a little sluggish and they scored, but we managed to keep the game open, and then all together started to play as a team,” Maignan said.
“We know these are great nights for Milan with an atmosphere like this. We suffered, we used up a lot of energy and left it all on the field.”
