The BCCI looks set to impose a stricter set of sanctions on those who breach the board’s wholeheartedly applied SOPs and mandatory protocols for the 2022 edition of the Indian Premier League amid the downsizing wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
The tournament starts on March 26 and runs till May 29, and for this two-month long window, the BCCI doesn’t want any mishap that may lead to a coronavirus breach inside the tournament bubble and lead to a possibility of suspension. Still angst at the halt and rescheduling of the 2021 campaign because of multiple positive cases in May 2021, the board is in no mood to see a repeat of the same.
These sanctions range from a one-match suspension to a hard quarantine of seven days for the players, with a breach from their family members set to attract even more serious punishments from the BCCI.
For franchises, allowing an outsider into the team bubble during the tournament could lead to a penalty of INR 1 crore on the first lapse, and subsequent lapses could even see a deduction of one or two points from their tally on the points table.
“The COVID-19 pandemic poses a serious threat to the health of individuals and the cooperation, commitment and adherence by each Person Subject To These Operational Rules to the measure put in place to provide a safe environment is of paramount importance,”
said the BCCI in its operational rules for IPL 2022, as reported by Cricbuzz.
While the breaches by family members across various T20 leagues have been rare, more prevalent has been the scenario where a player, support staff member or a match official may have been involved in breaking the necessary rules and health regulations.
The BCCI has put the sanctions for these in Table A of their punishments draft as part of the tournament SOPs. As for the first offence, Cricbuzz reported, “7 day re-quarantine or such other period as may be provided in the Health & Safety Protocols during IPL 2022 (without pay for the number of matches missed).”
“One match suspension (without pay) to take effect after the completion of the 7 day requarantine or such period requarantine as may be provided in the Health & Safety Protocols during IPL 2022 (without pay),”
as a means to crack a whip on those breaking the regulations for the second time.
For the third offence, the board will remove that player or individual from the registered squad for the remainder of the season, with no replacement allowed to come on board.
The BCCI has been mindful of the possibility that a team might be unable to field a playing XI because of Covid positive tests inside its camp. In such an eventuality, the board at its discretion, will attempt to reschedule the game within the tournament window. If that is not possible, the matter will be left to the IPL’s technical committee, which will decide the final fate of the fixture.
In a specific detail pertaining to the case of wilfully allowing an outsider inside the team bubble, the BCCI will impose a penalty of INR 1 crore for the first offence. For the second offence, it will take away one point from the tournament tally. Subsequent offences for the same will attract a 2-point deduction for every instance.
The BCCI wants to leave no stone unturned in ensuring the health safety of everyone involved in the IPL 2022, which sees the league’s expansion from eight to 10 teams and also the tournament window by nearly a week.
