JOIN USSports Minister Ajay Maken said the onus lies with the BCCI as far as the IPL spot-fixing is concerned and has asked the Board to take prompt action in the interest of the millions of cricket fans in the country.
“I am sure and wish that BCCI acts fast, goes into the root cause of this problem and solves the problem in the interest of the millions of fans in cricket in our country,” said Maken on Tuesday.
The Sports Minister also hoped that the BCCI would sort out the issue at the earliest.
“I have just seen part of what all of you have seen in the sting operation. I am very sure...you all know that in cricket, in other sports also and not only in India but elsewhere also we occasionally hear such things happening.
“But the challenge and the opportunity here lies with the BCCI as to how far they are able to go to the root cause, go to the bottom of the problem and sort it out,” said Maken.
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar supported BCCI for suspending the players -- Mohnish Mishra, Shalabh Srivatsava, TP Sidhindra, Abhinav Bali and Amit Yadav -- caught on TV in the sting operation by India TV.
“Yes, it was correct to suspend them. That’s the least they could have done against the players,” said Gavaskar about the BCCI measure.
“You don’t need players who are even contemplating doing the things that they have allegedly done. You need to ban them not just from IPL but ban them till the inquiry is complete,” Gavaskar told a television channel.