Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Suggestions of Lodha Committee should be implemented' that was published in Newsband

Suggestions of Lodha Committee should be implemented

Ever since the betting scandal hit the Indian Premier League in 2013 the committee headed by former Chief Justice of India R.M. Lodha was formed to tackle those individuals in the Board of Control for Cricket in India who treat the various regional units as their personal fiefdom. After studying the situation, the committee favoured a thorough overhaul of cricket administration in the country.

The committee found that businessmen and politicians were running the cash-rich body with lack of transparency and accountability. The report said that there was need to improve its public image and impart much-needed credibility. The report also suggests the radical idea of legalising betting in cricket with the condition that players, managers, officials or anyone associated with cricket are not allowed to participate in betting.

The committee also made the suggestion that the BCCI be brought under the ambit of the Right to Information Act. A restructured cricket board will surely be in the game’s interest. To save Cricket from the clutches of thugs and looters the R M Lodha committee's recommendations must be implemented immediately or else the game will die a slow and painful death.

Reforms in any aspect are not just supposed to be built, they need to be complied with strictly and when it comes to cricket there should not be any margin of error; for Cricket is the most respected sports, what an Indian citizen conceives. The rules and principles should be equally followed by all and in all forms of the sport, be it the International matches, domestic matches or the leagues.

There should be a proper governance over the allegations upon cricketers which have been increasing drastically since recent past. Cricket is an exciting sport; we should not amalgamate it with political disorders to make it a large dispute.

The decision to legalize betting is highly applauded. With the underworld and a handful of international websites, getting a major share of profits from the betting industry, it is time to regularize the system and ensure that it falls under the purview of BCCI and local authorities.

Justice Lodha is pragmatic and his views on betting on cricket make welcome reading. Man's gambling instincts cannot be curbed by legislation alone. Prohibition failed miserably. Betting on games and sports should not be made illegal, but strict enforcement of fixing should be done. In developed countries, neither there is prohibition, nor betting on games made illegal and they face no problem.  

The suggestion of sweeping reforms in cricket board is welcome. Not only cricket, other sports boards are also plagued by misappropriations of funds and foul plays. This suggestion should be extended to other fields as more and more money is entering the sports arena due to introduction of tournaments in almost every popular sport and system of auction of sportspersons.

Politicians unconnected with active sports are heading sports' bodies. This has become a routine. So such salutary reform as suggested by Lodha committee should be carried out, not only in cricket, but all sports bodies.