Rules
for What ?
On
and off the field
By
Sanjeeb Mukherjee
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Imagine what the code of conduct for the Indian players
will be if the BCCI (Board of Cricket Control cricket
of India) is allowed to have its way. Well, it might be
something like this, no player will be allowed to venture
out of the hotel room without the permission of the coach
or manager or rules might even be layed for dressing up
in unofficial functions. Sounds strange but it may very
soon become a reality if the BCCI, stung by its worldwide
disrepute following the betting and match fixing scandals,
clears the new-set of code of conduct. Surprisingly this
time, the ministry of sports of Government of India is
showing a very keen interest in framing the code for conduct
for Indian cricketers.
In
the process, the energetic BCCI which over the years has
ceased to function as a body promoting and nurturing cricket
in India has tried to rectify some of its past mistakes.
It is due to the over-enthusiasm that the board showed
in conducting one-day cricket involving the Indian cricketers
that resulted in players getting fatigued and losing steam
before age. The crores on money involved in these games
breed corruption and disloyalty amongst the players. When
matters got out of hand suddenly the board realized that
enough is enough and came out with a set of rules, which
give the feeling of schoolish do’s and don’ts. Forgetting
in the process that Indian cricketers are not kids to
be taught the way to conduct themselves. They are grown-up
enough to require anything like code of conduct. The ministry
of sports too felt that on matters relating to the conduct
of players they have the right to interfere and promptly
called the BCCI president to get the code of conduct cleared
from the ministry.
The
poor cricketers already under the dragnet of the CBI and
undergoing the agony of being removed from their public
created pedestal of demi-Gods have another reason to worry.
They now will move at public places, in cricket fields
and elsewhere under the rules. Any violation of the rules
will call for strict action. This time the BCCI does not
want to take any chances. If newspapers reports are to
be believed, curbs have been imposed on even meeting friends
and acquaintances during cricket-matches and cricket tours.
Surprisingly no reaction has come from any former cricket
players on these rules. Probably they might have anticipated
such a things after the flak that board drew from the
media and the cricket lovers on its role over the years
in controlling the morass in Indian cricket.
Some
including former members of the Board openly alleged that
board members, coaches and other were hand in glove in
the whole episode all through the years. Similar silence
was from the present set-up players, but it was expected.
Because by an earlier rule, players except the captain
have been forbidden from speaking to the media and press.
Hence when they finally speak they speak their hear out,
opening many hidden coffins. Like Manoj Prabhakar did
recently. He repeatedly said that he was bound by the
rules of the board which prohibited him from speaking
against the malpractices in the team to the media. This
points out to another disadvantage of the code of conduct,
due to them even facts like corruption and dissension
in Indian cricket teams which harms the game more if kept
under the closet than brought into open is not allowed
for the people to know. If rules are to be framed, they
should be in the form of general guidelines, which is
upto the players to adhere to without any penalty.
Infact
rules should not be for the cricket players in the first
instance , let their conscience and pride of playing for
the country’s honour and also the fear of falling from
the high images of the people of this country guide them
on field and off-field actions.
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