It's a storm after lull at the BCCI meeting

The working committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) met in New Delhi yesterday taking some hard decisions. A showcause notice was issued to the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) and its chief IS Bindra, AC Muthiah was named as the Board's official spokesperson, and the Board announced its intention to reconsider playing at off-shore venues, setup a three member code of conduct committe and restructure domestic cricket.

There were some sparks due to the recent spate of charges and countercharges between officials surrounding the match-fixing scandal. This forced the board to apply brakes on comments made by members with BCCI president A C Muthiah saying he alone would talk to the media.

During the press briefing Muthiah said the BCCI working committee decided to serve a show cause notice on Bindra and had sought an explanation on the various allegations he has made relating to match fixing and corruption in the board. Muthiah said ""All board members agreed and Bindra himself has accepted the decision," AC Muthiah said.

A show cause notice will be served on Bindra to explain certain statements made by him in the press and why he cannot respond on some other statements made to CBI, Muthiah said. The major issue that dominated the working committee meeting was the allegations of matchfixing and Bindra's frequent statements to the press.

The industrial baron said that Bindra agreed and clarified some points and added the press had misquoted him in certain specific cases. Muthiah further added that Bindra refused to comment on other issues as he had signed a confidentiality agreement with CBI.

Quoting the existing clause on issuing a show cause notice to its members, Muthiah said "There is a clause in the BCCI constitution which says if the boards harmony is endangered deeply, which I think it is, and members are deeply concerned about it then all the members agree to serve the show cause notice."

To a question of when the notice would be served, Muthiah replied "it would (show cause notice) be served soon" and on whether members wanted Bindra's expulsion, the reply was "we'll discuss the whole issue."

On the allegation of the board stopping payment of subsidy to the PCA, Muthiah said "PCA has been asked to answer certain queries in the last working committee meeting which has not been done so far. Therefore the subsidy was stopped."

On the issue of playing matches abroad, Muthiah said the board has decided to "have a re-look" in future before making a commitment. For now he said "The board is under contract to send teams to Sharjah or Singapore. So we can't violate the contracts which we have already drawn." He also emphasised that the board will stand by the players until they are proven guilty, thereby reaffirming what he said at the Chennai press conference on May 17.

Muthiah said the working committee has deciced to setup a three-member Code of Conduct panel comprising DV Subba Rao, Ashok Kumbhat and Shashank Manohar to formulate a code of conduct for players and officials. The committee has been asked to submit a report at the next working committee meeting in August, where it will be discussed.

On the public interest litigation filed in the Orissa High Court, the business tycoon said the board would file its response when the matter comes up for hearing on July 12. The petition had sought to restrain the Indian coach Kapil Dev and three players - Mohd. Azharuddin, Ajay Jadeja and Nayan Mongia from participating in any domestic or international matches till the CBI completes its probe in the match fixing and betting allegations.