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One below the belt for the IOA

In the ongoing struggle for supremacy, the Board of Control for Cricket in India landed one below the Indian Olympic Association's belt when it announced that it would send its cricket team for the Commonwealth Games through the International Cricket Council, bypassing the IOA.

The ongoing war of attrition between the two sports bodies took a dramatic turn with the IOA insisting that no team could take part in the Games without its clearance.

IOA secretary general Randhir Singh said that he had a telephonic conversation with the officials of the Commonwealth Games Federation, who made it clear that the rule clearly stated that it was the prerogative of the respective national Olympic committees (noc) to clear and forward the entries of each participating team.

''The rule cannot be flouted. They (BCCI) will have to go through the IOA,'' Randhir Singh asserted.

Asked what would happen if the BCCI refused to follow this rule, Singh said, "The consequences will follow" without, however, elaborating.

''The IOA has no right to say anything on the issue. The ICC and SUKOM, organisers of the Games in Malaysia, have been in touch with us," BCCI secretary J Y Lele said in his turn.

Though the BCCI is not affiliated to IOA, but this is perhaps for the first time that any sports body has challenged the IOA's authority and decided to participate in a multi-discipline event bypassing it completely.

''We have been given permission to select the team as late as possible, and the names of the players will be sent by the BCCI to SUKOM. The IOA does not come in the picture at all,'' Lele said emphatically.

This virtually reduces IOA to a cipher as far as India's participation in cricket in the Games is concerned. ''We wish IOA all success in the Games,'' Lele said, rubbing it in somewhat.

Lele said the players taking part in the cricket matches in the Games would not be paid any match fee by the BCCI, and added,''We do not know the financial obligations for participation.''

ICC president Jagmohan Dalmiya had clarified a few days back that the matches in the Games had not been given official status.

The IOA, in belligerent mood, hit back by charging the BCCI with looking for lame excuses to delay the announcement of the team for the Games so that it is disqualified on account of late entry.

''I have reason to believe that they (BCCI) do not want to send the team for the Games as the dates clash with the Sahara Cup in Canada, in which a lot of money is involved,'' IOA president Suresh Kalmadi told a crowded press conference in New Delhi.

''It is coin vs medal,'' Kalmadi said, adding that "delaying tactics adopted by the board in announcing the team means that they want to be disqualified by the organisers, so that they do not have to send a team to Kuala Lumpur''.

Kalmadi said "Because of commercial reasons those people want to send the team for the Sahara Cup while no money is involved in the Commonwealth Games.

''The IOA is deeply disturbed by the BCCI's diatribes at its yesterday's press conference,'' he said, adding that a needless controversy is being created and ''We are not happy about it''.

He said the country's prestige is involved in the Commonwealth Games, and "for this very reason we are sending only the best and medal prospects for the Games. We are not sending even the athletic team because they are not in medal contention.''

He expressed surprise over BCCI secretary Lele's assertion that the cricket team's entry will be sent directly to the ICC to be forwarded to SUKOM. ''There is no way that SUKOM will accept any entry not forwarded by the IOA,'' he added.

The IOA chief was of the view that the BCCI wanted disqualification from the Games, ''and that is why all these needless controversies are being created''.

He further alleged that the BCCI was not showing any interest in the commonwealth event. ''They seem to be interested in Canada where about Rs 50 million is involved while for the Games it would not be paying anything to the players''.

Kalmadi said the IOA wanted that its teams should win medals in the Games, and hence wanted that the BCCI should send a strong team. ''If Australia, which is in India's pool, is sending its best team the why is the BCCI trying to be different?''

He made it clear that the IOA would not allow any other but the best team for the Games.

''It is time we sit across the table to sort out our differences,'' Kalmadi said, adding that under no condition would the BCCI's stand on doping be accepted.

''The doping test is for every participant and we are surprised at Mr Lele's statement that Indian cricketers will not be effected by it. Rules are for everyone, and the BCCI is no exception''.

Kalmadi said he was unable to understand why the BCCI was trying to be different in all respects. "After all, the march past of the teams will be under the flags of their respective national Olympic committees (nocs). There would not be two march pasts - one under the NOC's aegis and one under the ICC."

"The CGA rules and regulations are not made by the IOA, and they are applicable to all," he added.

Randhir Singh meanwhile said the format and the rules of the cricket competition was agreed to by the ICC and the CGA four years ago. ''It is not the work of one or two days''.

He said cricket has been introduced in the Games for the first time ''and we are very keen that our best team should go''.

He also showed the cricket entry forms sent by the organisers and said it needed the signature and stamp of the IOA.

Randhir also showed a fax sent by cricket umpire V K Ramaswamy urging the IOA that his name be forwarded to SUKOM as he had been selected by the ICC to officiate the matches in the Games.

Meanwhile, referring to other subjects that came up at the board meeting in Delhi yesterday, Lele said the board's working committee also approved the proposal to give money to umpires who have officiated more than ten first class matches on the same basis as is being given to the Ranji Trophy players.

He said umpires officiating in the Tests and ODIs will be given blazers by the board.

Umpires who have officiated in ten matches will receive Rs 25,000 and after that, Rs 500 more per .

He said the technical committee of the board has recommended that in the event of an unfinished match, both the teams should be awarded three points each as against the existing system of two points each.

He said the technical committee will discuss and review the changes suggested by the ICC and these will be ratfied at the AGM.

He said it was decided to finish the whole agenda of the meeting in one day instead of two days.

The annual report,the secretary's report and the annual accounts of the board were dicussed at the meeting.

Regarding dope test for cricketers playing in the Games, Lele said it had been decided that in any such eventuality the report would go to the ICC and the organisers would not be able to take any action against any player.

''We do not know what the banned substances are. Some players do take cortisone injections for pain-relief, which is a kind of a steroid,'' he said.

On the issue of logo, he said, ''The players will not wear the Wills logo.''

Lele refused to comment on the likely composition of the two teams. ''We will select two good teams, as both the events are important. The Sahara Cup for which the board has contractual obligations is very important, as we cannot afford to go down 5-0 against Pakistan,'' he said.

This virtually meant that the main players would go for the Sahara Cup in Toronto, coinciding with Games. Pakistan has already selected a second-string for the Games, keeping their best for the Sahara Cup.