Wednesday, August 26, 2009

DDCA must look into Sehwag's concerns

India’s star opener Virendra Sehwag threatened to revolt against the highhandedness of sports committee and Selection Committee in the Delhi and District Cricket Association. This is not the first time that the players have revolted against the mismanagement in DDCA. The revolt of Virendra Sehwag was supported by the other star Indian players like Gautam Gambhir, Ishant Sharma and Ashis Nehra against DDCA, and under the leadership of Sehwag they also threatened to leave Delhi and play for Haryana. The main reason of the dissatisfaction of the players with their Cricket Association is the corruption rampant at all levels in the different sports committees formed by the Cricket Association. Because of that the cricket associations whether it is BCCI or different state Cricket Associations has become the centre of attraction for the powerful politicians of the country. The main reason behind it is also the massive source of income of the sports bodies of different states. As for example, the DDCA is itself headed by a senior BJP leader Arun Jairtely and he is not only one politician who heads the state cricket association but there are many others like him who lead the cricket Associarttion of their respective states. The sports management bodies must be headed by the retired sports person and it must be the sole discretion of the sportspersons how to run their sports bodies.There must be no place for corruption in cricket association and there must not be favouritism in the selection of players. The procedures for the selection of players must be transparent and it must act in such a way as it could be seen so. The allegations made by none other than the former Test player and BJP MP Kirti Azad that Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) president Arun Jaitley is aware that alcohol, money and women were used to influence selectors of the Delhi team.The allegation of Azad is very serious and it needs immediate attention to look into the veracity of the allegations. If they are found to be true, the office bearers of DDCA must be maid accountable. The allegation becomes serious when Azad says that DDCA president was aware of the foul practices going on in the DDCA behind the scene.
These foul and sordid affairs are well known in the DDCA and have been going on for a long time, even before Jaitley took charge. IThis sort of problem has taken deep root in DDCA. THere may be political angle in the allegations made by Azad because the DDCA President Arun Jaitely is BJP leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and he was the election incharge of the BJP in the last general elections and he reportedly opposed Kirti Azad candidature from Darbhanga Lok Sabha constituency, though he got the ticket and elected to Lok Sabha from there.Because of the political tussle, Jaitley must not set aside the charges made by Kirti Azad against the DDCA and serious attention to them and root out without any loss of time. Otherwise, the malaise in the body he is presiding over will malign his political image. The revolt by Virender Sehwag may have ended with DDCA President Arun Jaitley accepting their demand of fairness in selection process,but the simmering discontent among players against the sordid affairs prevailing in DDCA may cause irreparable loss to the game of cricket.That is why the DDCA president Arun Jaitely must act to transparency in its function to leave no room for grievances of players and the cricket fans of Delhi.

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