The mismanagement, chaos and apparent unethical practices in the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) is finally catching up with them. The Board of Cricket Control of India (BCCI) has decided to stop all funding to the controversial Delhi Cricket body.
“As of now, there is no question of giving the funds to DDCA. There are too many complaints and reports of discrepancies against them. They will have to set their house in order first to get the funds from the board,” BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal told Times of India on Wednesday. BCCI is in favour of having an administrator to run DDCA.
DDCA administration currently has no elected president after Rajat Sharma’s controversial stint ended in bizarre circumstances, its secretary is reportedly in jail, and the treasurer, against the Supreme Court-approved Lodha Committee recommendations, is a public servant.
BCCI on an average gives Rs 35-60 crore (£350m – £600m) of annual funding to each of its member state associations. Between July 2018 and November 2019, the DDCA received at least Rs.40.75 crore (£407.5m) from the Board. Some of it is its share of the BCCI’s income and some for expenditure/reimbursement on account of organizing domestic and international matches in Delhi.
BCCI is processing the payments to the state associations this week but have decided to stall payments to DDCA. “We are processing all the payments now, obviously we need to have clarity on DDCA before releasing the annual payments to them” Dhumal added.
DDCA also face allegations of non-payments to the players, coaches, staff, ground workers, and affiliated clubs.
Meanwhile BCCI has also declared that the board will release all the payments due to the match officials and umpires this week. The Indian Board has already cleared all payments to the contracted Indian players and domestic cricketers.
John Stephenson
john@cricketinvestor.co.uk
