Even though some of them are flush with money, several state units of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have been an unhappy lot ever since the Supreme Court stopped their funding from the parent body till they implemented the Lodha reforms in toto. The latest to claim they've a problem is the Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA), which has asked the board to release funds so that it can pay match fees to its players at all levels for the domestic season.
In a letter to BCCI CEO Rahul Johri (TOI has a copy of it), which has been copied to members of the SC-appointed Committee of Administrators (COA) and senior BCCI officials and all state associations, SCA joint secretary Madhukar Worah wrote on Saturday (March 11): "This is with reference to pending and much overdue reimbursements of funds from BCCI to our association.Payments to all the players who've played in matches of domestic tournaments of the BCCI haven't been paid so far. We see no reason for BCCI not sending funds to make necessary payments to all the men and women players who've represented their respective associations in domestic tournaments, including the most important and prestigious Ranji Trophy.
"The fees of these players is paid by the BCCI. We believe that the SC hasn't given any such guidelines of not paying or delaying due payments to all these domestic players. We request you to take up this matter urgently." Apart from SCA, some other asssociations too revealed that while they've paid the players their match fee from their own funds, they're now waiting for the Board to reimburse them.
Other than this, the SCA has also asked the Board to ensure "timely payment" of Rs 1.5 crore (as staging fees due to the host association) for staging five IPL-10 games this season at its stadium in Rajkot. "Please refer to our letter on March 2 requesting for ensuring and confirming timely payment of Rs 30 lakh per IPL match, as per the agreement be tween the BCCI, staging association and the franchise. There're five IPL matches at our SCA Stadium between April 7-29. We had raised the same issue in the IPL meeting of state associations."
For staging an IPL tie, state bodies get Rs 30 lakh each from the franchise and the Board. While the franchise's payment is guaranteed, the associations are worried that the other 50% of their payment, which they get 15 days after the IPL final, may be stopped, should they not have implemented the Lodha reforms by then.
"If they want money for their players or for staging IPL games, the SCA and other associations must first show a willingness, and give an undertaking that they'll implement the Lodha reforms, which is something they haven't done so far. The COA can't defy the SC order and release funds to these associations till they implement the reforms," said a BCCI official.
In an earlier letter, SCA had asked BCCI to probe how the Deloitte reports, which reveal corruption in state units, were leaked to the media, without the association having a look at it.
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