Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Sourav Ganguly has stepped down as as the director of Indian Super League (ISL) outfit ATK Mohun Bagan.
Notably, ATK Mohun Bagan is a franchise owned by RPSG Group, which had recently won the Lucknow franchise of the Indian Premier League.
Ganguly has now confirmed that he resigned from the position in the football club to avoid potential conflict of interest.
Follwing reports about his conflicted position by virtue of being the BCCI president as well as a director of company that owns an IPL franchise, Ganguly had to step down. “I have resigned,” Ganguly was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz and confirming the development,
With Ganguly stepping down, the conflict-of-interest controversy seems to be settled down however, another issue regarding CVC Capital, who acquired the Ahmedabad IPL franchise after bidding Rs 5625 crores, is yet to be resolved.
After the auctions, former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi raised question on CVC Capital’s acquisition of a franchise and had said that the BCCI not doing a thorough check on the company’s sporting assets.
“I am shocked that the BCCI did not do their homework and did not check that one of the bidders also owns a betting company. CVC Capital apparently owns 80 per cent of Sky Betting. How does anybody control anti-corruption in such cases?,” Modi had questioned.
“If the owners of a team are also the owners of a betting company, it defeats the purpose of not allowing the promoters of betting in India where betting is illegal. I am shocked that the BCCI let it happen. They should disqualify the owners and award the franchise to the second-best bidder,” he had added.
“I guess betting companies can buy an IPL team, must be a new rule. Apparently one qualified bidder also owns a big betting company. What next? Does BCCI not do its homework? What can Anti-Corruption do in such a case? #cricket,” he further expressed.
When asked on how CVC capitals has acquired other sporting properties globally despite investing in a betting company, Modi said: “It is ok that they are participating in other leagues because they allow betting companies. There is a problem here because in India betting is not allowed. Already you have had a betting scandal (in 2013), that is the problem.”
After the auctions, the BCCI had fornally announced the development late on Monday saying: “BCCI is pleased to announce the following successful bidders (subject to definitive documentation and other formalities being completed): 1. RPSG Ventures Ltd. – Lucknow (for INR 7090 crores) 2. Irelia Company Pte Ltd. (CVC Capital Partners) – Ahmedabad (for INR 5625 crores).”
Now after acquiring the teams, both the parties will need to pay the entire amount over a period of 10 years.
Notably, the two new franchises – Ahmedabad and Lucknow – will now participate in the cash-rich IPL from the 2022 season onwards subject to the bidders completing the post-bid formalities as specified in the ITT document.
The IPL 2022 season will now comprise ten teams and will have 74 matches.
The next edition of IPL is likley to be staged in the March-April window and a mega auction for it will most probably be held in December this year or January, 2022.