Conflict of interest: Harbhajan Singh asked to stay away from Bhajji Sports

Star Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh has been strictly asked to keep away from his family business entity Bhajji Sports by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Ombudsman AP Shah, who is investigating the conflict of interest issues surrounding Indian cricket. In his very first order, Shah has managed to deliver a strong recommendation, sending out a stern message to all the stakeholders of Indian cricket.

In his order, Retired Justice Shah has listed out some of the potential conflict of interest roles ranging from coaching / training academies, sports management companies, sports apparel manufacturers et al. This is likely to affect former players who are now administrators and run cricket academies as well as hold plum posts in associations at the same time.

“The Ombudsman recommends that all concerned individuals (cricketers, selectors, coaches, and administrators) should be required to make standard disclosures about their affiliations in the context of the conflict of interest rules (which may pertain, for example, to cricket coaching/training academies, sports management companies, sports apparel manufacturers, etc).”

Add Cricket Country as a Preferred Source

“If the disclosures reveal that an individual does have such an association, they may be asked to either terminate their association with such companies/academies, or asked to resign from their position as cricketer/selector/coach/administrator, as covered by the conflict of interest rules,” Shah wrote in his order. Shah was appointed by the BCCI in December after the ongoing Lodha committee probe recommended his appointment.