Madugalle - Suspend Players Who Bring Game Into Disrepute (4 Jul 1996)

4 July 1996

Suspend players who brings the game into disrepute: Madugalle

By Sa`adi Thawfeeq

Sri Lanka`s ICC match referee Ranjan Madugalle believes that players who bring the game to disrepute should be suspended from it rather than be fined monetarily.

"I don`t think any player wishes to miss matches. Quite a few of the Test players are very much aware of that. In fact, with the backing of the ICC I have told the players so in my last few assignments,`` said Madugalle.

One of the biggest decisions Madugalle took as match referee was to fine Pakistan fast bowler Aaqib Javed fifty percent of his match fees during the series in New Zealand last year.

"Aaqib dismissed a batsman and went on the rampage basically showing him the way to the pavilion as well as making some rude gestures. That kind of behaviour cannot be tolerated,`` said Madugalle.

"At the end of the inquiry Aaqib apologised that it would not happen again. I sometimes feel that fines are not the only answer to such actions. I think suspension from the game would be a better deterrent,`` he said.

Another Pakistani, leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed was also fined a certain percentage of his match fee during the same series by Madugalle whose no nonsense attitude and down to earth approach has made him one of the most sought-after ICC match referees in the world today.

Madugalle thinks the reasons for it are that he is possibly the most current of all international match referees and that he believes in dialogue more than most people.

"My policy is more towards discussion and then trying to solve problems rather than throwing the book at them,`` he said.

"What I clearly do is, set standards long before the series starts where I give a policy statement to all the teams, where I spell out my levels of expectations``.

"One thing that I clearly tell them is that they have to act as role models. If anyone veers away from that, then I will step in. Right through a series or tournament if I see that a problem can arise, I just walk up to the team management at any time and tell them. The idea is to defuse the situation rather than solve a problem after it arises,`` said Madugalle.

One major incident that Madugalle averted through dialogue before it could blow out of proportion, was concerning India`s supreme batsman Sachin Tendulkar for a breach of advertising code during the last tournament held in Sharjah this year.

The former Royal College and NCC captain who is currently a national selector should have been still playing the game today. He retired rather prematurely in 1988, at the age of 29, having appeared for his country in 21 Tests and 64 one-day internationals.

Source :: Daily News (https://www.lanka.net)