Justice Mudgal calls IPL verdict “extremely balanced”

The year 2013 was another haunting one for the game of cricket and was marred by spot-fixing scandal in the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL).

The year 2013 was another haunting one for the game of cricket and was marred by spot-fixing scandal in the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL). In October that year, the Supreme Court (SC) appointed a three-member committee headed by Justice Mukul Mudgal to probe the allegations of betting and spot-fixing in the cash-rich league. Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) Gurunath Meiyappan and Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) Raj Kundra were found guilty of betting in the tournament.

After Mudgal Committee submitted its report, the SC set up a panel comprising Chief Justice of India RM Lodha, former Justice Ashok Bhan and former Justice R Raveendran to determine punishments and penalties to the parties involved. On Tuesday, the Lodha Panel declared its official verdict, banning Meiyappan and Kundra and also suspending CSK and RR for two years. In an interview with Indian Express, Justice Mudgal called the verdict “extremely balanced”.”

He said, “I think the verdict is extremely balanced. Well-considered and it’s a very, very detailed order going into every nuance of the rules, the operational rules and a very detailed analysis. It is appropriate. Beyond that it would have been excessive and below that, it wouldn’t have been a deterrent.” [CSK and RR suspended for two years: Live tweets and Twitter reaction]

Future of players?

Mudgal went out of his way and spoke about a European football like structure for CSK and RR players, who are expected to suffer because of this verdict. He added, “The appropriate thing would be to invite two new franchises. Like in European football, where you can loan players for a year or two, IPL can do the same. I think the CSK and RR players can be loaned, if desired by new teams, for two years. That way, their link with the original team doesn’t go and they come back to the team. Meanwhile, the paying public is not denied the chance of seeing them.” [CSK: The fall of cricket’s Manchester United]

Backing the Justice Lodha’s statement on financial losses incurred by players and franchisee, Mudgal said, “Justice Lodha in the last paragraph of the order has stated that for the larger good some players have to undergo economic problem but cricket is bigger than any team or player. I think it couldn’t have been put in a more felicitous manner as Justice Lodha has put. But I have to say one thing. I didn’t find any such player concern expressed by anyone when Kochi Tuskers and Pune Warriors teams were expelled from the IPL. So what’s so special about the players of Rajasthan Royals and CSK that suddenly this concern for the players? Where was the public concern when these two teams’ larger number of players were affected? Maybe, they were not star players but they too have a heart, they have sentiments, they also had incomes.” [IPL spot-fixing: Commendable decision against Chennai Super Kings, Rajasthan Royals]

“So, what’s so special about the players of Rajasthan Royals and CSK that suddenly (there is) this concern for the players? Where was the public’s concern when these two teams’ larger number of players were affected? Maybe, they were not star players but they too have a heart, they have sentiments, they also had incomes.”

Mudgal also called Meiyappan, “the face of the team [CSK]” and called the IPL CEO Sundar Raman’s case, a “complex” one, saying it would need the involvement of the International Cricket Council (ICC).  Mudgal also praised former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President N Srinivasan for what he has done for players and former cricketers, but also criticised BCCI’s approach of making parties suffer because of personal animosity. On administrative reforms, Mudgal said, “No state should suffer because of someone’s personal animosity. For example players from Bihar have not been able to play for their state. Jharkhand, a smaller body, has a representation. It is extremely unfair. And you call yourself Board of Control for Cricket in India by taking such action. You may have an issue with an office bearer so you take action. Why isn’t anyone screaming about the cricketers from Bihar who have not been able to play for 10 to 15 years.” [Rajasthan Royals: A side with the nicest man mee​t​s​ the harshest fate]

“Players haven’t played Ranji Trophy because you don’t like a person. That I think is the most glaring deficiency of the BCCI. It can’t be called Board of Control for Cricket in India because it is not representing the whole of India as a major state is cut out. Because of personal reasons. Maybe, officials are bad, so punish them but you can’t punish the players, you can’t punish the state.” [Chennai Super Kings: A Controversial Timeline]

Issue on the named players?

Speaking on the issue of named players by his committee in the sealed envelope; whose names haven’t been mentioned yet. Mudgal added, “We had put all that in our report and the Supreme Court probably had good reason not disclosing them to the public. That is something I wouldn’t like to comment on because it is the property of the SC. It is for the court to decide how that report had to be dealt with.” [Rajasthan Royals: Timeline]