This is not the first time the Indian Premier League (IPL) has courted controversy. Ever since its inception the IPL has been in news for wrong reasons, so be it money laundering; tax evasion or match fixing the cricket tournament has seen it all. Yet, this time the cricket tourney is being unfairly targeted.
2008- The Slap
IPL’s inaugural season hit headlines for a spat between Harbhajan Singh (Mumbai Indians) and S Sreesanth (KXIP), in which Singh physically assaulted and slapped Sreesanth in the cricket ground.
2009-IPL moves out of India
Due to 2009 Parliament elections the then Home Minister P Chidambaram refused to provide security for IPL. The IPL’s commissioner Lalit Modi shifted the tournament to South Africa.
2010- Lalit Modi Saga
Lalit Modi was accused of misappropriation of funds and nepotism. It is alleged that he accepted bribes in granting television rights of the telecast of IPL matches and helped several of his relatives gain contracts related to IPL activities. He helped large corporations in the bidding process for buying the teams. Lalit Modi has since fled India to evade arrest and is now settled in London.
2011 June: Misbehaviour with cheer leaders
South African cheerleader Gabriella Pasqualotto alleged that cricketers misbehaved with cheerleader girls in the post match parties. She was fired and sent back.
2011 Sep-Suspension of teams
Two newly inducted teams Pune Warriors and Kochi Tuskers were suspended from IPL due to financial irregularities.
2013-Match Fixing
The sixth edition of IPL opened a Pandora’s Box after the allegations of match fixing which ended up in the arrests of some Rajasthan Royals
players.
2015 July
Lodha committee recommended two year suspension of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR). It is alleged that Meiyappan and Raj Kundra the respective owners of their team were involved in betting. A lifetime ban has been imposed on both.
-text by Ganesh Krishnan R
