Uncertainty shrouds the start of the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) after the central government issued a directive to keep spectators away from sporting events to check the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“...ensure that no public gathering takes place in any sporting event. In the event the sporting event cannot be avoided, the same could be done without allowing gathering of people, including spectators,” read an order from the sports ministry.
The ministry of external affairs has also “advised” the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to “not do it (the IPL) at this time but if the organisers want to go ahead, it is their decision”.
The IPL governing council has called a meeting in Mumbai on Saturday to decide on the issue. The tournament is scheduled from March 29.
There was no official word from the BCCI till late on Thursday but it is inconceivable that the Board, whose secretary is Jay Shah, the son of Union home minister Amit Shah, will not pay heed to a central directive. Board president Sourav Ganguly will reach Mumbai on Friday morning to hold discussions on the issue.
The Telegraph learns that the BCCI is looking at two possible scenarios — having matches behind closed doors to avoid gathering of people or postponing the tournament till the middle of April.
The BCCI top brass is also likely to meet the eight franchise owners after Saturday’s meeting to inform them about the developments and address their concerns.
However, there has been no official word from the IPL governing council to the franchises so far.
“We don’t know what is happening. None from the Board has contacted us. It would have been ideal had the Board got in touch with us before the meeting on Saturday.
“That way there would have been exchange of ideas and a collective decision could have been arrived at. Now whatever decision is taken will be imposed on us without taking our views into consideration,” a top-ranked official of a franchise told this newspaper.
It would come as no surprise if the BCCI is forced to bar spectators for the entire duration of the tournament. An idea which the franchises — already livid with the decision to reduce the playoff standing fund for 2020 by almost 50 per cent — won’t be too happy to accept.
“It’s obviously not an ideal option to keep the crowd away from our commercial point of view. It affects revenues. But if that’s an option they are pondering, then we will weigh it that way. We would rather play than not have a tournament at all,” another senior franchise official said.
What has added to the confusion is the issue of visas for international players and support staff. Late on Wednesday, the Centre suspended “all existing visas, except diplomatic, official, UN/international organisations, employment, project visas” until April 15.
Franchises are of the view that players come under “business for employment or project visas”, but are not sure whether they will be affected. “It’s a technical issue. A clarification is needed from the ministry concerned,” said the franchise official.
That is one of the reasons why the governing council is mulling postponing the tournament. “If the foreign players aren’t available then the tournament will be robbed off its glamour element,” one of the stakeholders said.
The franchises are looking at two things if fans are kept out — clarity on the visa issue and the compensation package in the event of a loss in revenue arising out of lack of gate money receipts.
In case the tournament is held as scheduled, the BCCI may have to use its influence to clear the overseas players.