BCCI imposes life ban on Lalit Modi

September 25, 2013

New Delhi, Sep 25: The Board of Control for Cricket in India has banned former Indian Premier League chairman Lalit Modi for life on charges of financial irregularities. In its Special General Meeting in Chennai on Wednesday, the Board discussed a report filed by its disciplinary committee and decided to impose the ban. Modi can, of course, challenge the BCCI decision in court.lalt

After the Delhi High Court on Tuesday allowed the BCCI to go ahead with its SGM, Modi's lawyers on Wednesday morning filed a Special Leave Petition and appealed to the Supreme Court to stall the Chennai proceedings. It was dismissed.

To expel Modi, the BCCI needed a two-thirds majority (21 votes out of a total of 31). The necessary numbers were easily achieved as Srinivasan's clout held sway. Srinivasan and Modi, once friends, are currently arch-rivals. Modi has recently said Srinivasan's extension as BCCI chief will ruin world cricket. Srinivasan, whose two year-tenure as BCCI president comes to an end this month, is seeking a BCCI mandate to continue for another year.

Interestingly, after the Delhi High Court gave the BCCI a go ahead with its SGM, Modi wrote to BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel on Tuesday asking members to adjourn Wednesday's meeting. In his letter, Modi said: "In the event you do not adjourn the meeting kindly place the present letter and the witness statement made by me to the disciplinary committee which was refused to be taken on record by them and was not considered by them. This statement though not taken on record is available both with the BCCI and the disciplinary committee."

Modi even urged Patel to hold a SGM after the BCCI annual general meeting scheduled in Chennai on September 29. Modi wrote: "Please convey my request to all the members for adjourning the present meeting to a date after the AGM, which is to be held on 29.9.2013, so that duly authorized office bearers can convene a SGM. Please note that I do intend to appear before the SGM and place my version and the facility that was extended to the BCCI witnesses for the purposes of recording of their evidence that is by way of video conferencing may kindly be extended to me as well."

In its report, a copy of which was made available to NDTV on September 5, the BCCI disciplinary committee comprising Arun Jaitley, Jyotiraditya Scindia and former IPL chairman Chirayu Amin had found Modi guilty on at least eight counts of "indiscipline and misconduct" relating to financial and administrative matters of the IPL. In its 134-page report, the disciplinary committee said Modi had run the affairs of IPL single-handedly between 2008 and 2010. Modi was accused of rigging bids by adding unreasonable clauses in the tender draft to buy two new teams to favour two companies. He apparently hid the clauses from the IPL Governing Council. Accused of pocketing facilitation fees (from TV broadcast deals) to the tune of 80 million dollars, Modi even tried to form a rebel league with the help of English cricket bosses after being expelled.

Modi had issued a "point-by-point rebuttal" of the charges. Modi also alleged that he was not given a fair opportunity to fight his case, saying that while BCCI's "witnesses" were examined over 20 months, "my defence was hurriedly concluded" in 49 days. He also claimed that the witnesses he wanted to examine were "not summoned" and IS Bindra, the former BCCI president who Modi felt wanted to paint a fair picture of the situation, "was dissuaded from attending on the ground that appearing for me would tantamount to appearing against BCCI".

Blaming the disciplinary committee of being biased against him, Modi wrote in his blog: "The committee indicted me on all grounds on which they could lay even fanciful claim. On allegations where their wildest fancies found no basis to hold me guilty, they grudgingly exonerated me."

Modi said, "I am a bad enemy to make, because I am a winner. You don't want to take such extreme steps with me; rather, you want to negotiate with me, because you need to be able to walk away.

"Do I care about a life ban? Really couldn't care less, as they can't ever take away what I created (the IPL). They can destroy it. But I will keep at them for sure."

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News Network
June 3,2020

Colorado, Jun 3: Formula One boss Chase Carey has said that races will go ahead even if a driver tests positive for coronavirus.

His remarks come as organisers revealed a revised 2020 calendar and the schedule for the first eight races was put in the public domain.

"An individual having been found with a positive infection will not lead to a cancellation of a race. We encourage teams to have procedures in place so if an individual has to be put in quarantine, we have the ability to quarantine them at a hotel and to replace that individual," the official website of Formula One quoted Carey as saying.

"Some things we'd have to talk through and work through. The array of 'what ifs' are too wide to play out every one of them, but a team not being able to race would not cancel the race. I do not think I could sit here and lay out the consequences," he said.

Carey added the organisers will be having the necessary procedures in place so that the race does not get cancelled if a driver ends up testing positive for coronavirus.

"But we will have a procedure in place that finding infection will not lead to a cancellation. If a driver has an infection, teams have reserve drivers available," Carey said.

"We would not be going forward if we were not highly confident we have necessary procedures and expertise and capabilities to provide a safe environment and manage whatever issues arrive," he added.

The Formula One 2020 season will be beginning with the Austrian Grand Prix in July.

F1 currently expects the opening races to be closed events but hopes that fans will be able to attend again when it is safe to do so.

The season will kick off with the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring on July 5, followed a week later by a second race on the same track.

The Hungarian Grand Prix will follow a week after that, before a break. There will be then two back to back races at Silverstone, followed by the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.

The Belgian Grand Prix will follow that, with the Italian Grand Prix at Monza a week later on September 6.

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News Network
April 12,2020

New Delhi, Apr 12: As devotees across the world celebrate Easter today, former Sri Lanka skipper and current Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) president Kumar Sangakkara on Sunday condoled the demise of people who lost their lives during last year's Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka and said someone must seek answers to the questions which still remain unresolved.

"A year on we all share the pain of the families grieving lives lost, we stand with you and for you. We remember. So many questions still unanswered, but answer them someone must," Sangakkara tweeted.

On April 21, 2019, multiple blasts ripped through Sri Lanka when the Christian community was celebrating Easter Sunday.
The explosions rattled churches and high-end hotels across the country, killing 258 people and injuring over 500.

A local terror group called National Thowheeth Jama'ath had claimed responsibility for the devastating attacks.

The island nation was put under a state of emergency for a period of four months from April to August.

The Sri Lankan police had then said that 293 suspects were arrested in connection with the Easter Sunday bombings in the island country in April.

This year, most of the devotees would be offering the prayers from their homes as mass gatherings have been suspended in most countries due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Easter marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ following his crucifixion on Good Friday. It also marks the culmination of Lent, a 40-day period of fasting and penance.

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Agencies
April 25,2020

London, Apr 25: Former Australian cricketer Graeme Watson who was fighting cancer, has died at the age of 75.

Primarily a middle-order batsman and a medium-pace bowler, he featured in five Tests from 1967 to 1972 and two ODIs in 1972, ESPNcricinfo reported.

The all-rounder earned the national call during the 1966-67 tour of Rhodesia and South Africa. Watson slammed a half-century in the first innings of the second Test of the series.

However, the medium-pace bowler was ruled of the next test after suffering an ankle injury. He returned for the fourth Test in Johannesburg where scalped his career-best 2 for 67 but failed to leave a mark with the bat as Kangaroos lost the series.

In 1971-72 he moved to Western Australia and played a major role in their Sheffield-Shield win in 1971-72, 1972-73, and 1974-75 seasons.

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