Now Govt, BCCI play it safe

Now Govt, BCCI play it safe
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

NEW DELHI, JULY 31: The cricket board officials and the sports ministry today tried to play it safe ahead of tomorrow's crucial meeting in which the much-hyped code of cunduct `vision-report' will be presented by the board to the government.

"We are hopeful that a very positive outcome will come out from the meeting," Minister of State for Sports Shahnawaz Hussain said today. His senior Sukhdev Dhindsa was away in Punjab today and is expected to return here in time for the meeting tomorrow.

With both parties keen on a peaceful solution to the acrimonious issue of the code of conduct for players and officials, Hussain sought to dispel misgivings about a possible confrontation. "We don't want any confrontation with BCCI. We want the board to co-operate with the government in rooting out corruption from the game," Hussain said.

However, he cautioned that the government would not be a "silent spectator" and it wanted BCCI to be made accountable for its actions. He said the government was not interested in interfering in the board's functioning. "We want to honour the autonomous structure of the board."

BCCI has prepared a vision report detailing it's plans for the promotion of the game in the next five years, and measures undertaken to popularise cricket.

Stressing the need for an implementable code, a board source said two views prevailed at the BCCI special committee meeting here. While one section favoured stricter provision for players and officials, the other lay stress on having a code which could be implemented properly. "Unreasonable restrictions which cannot be implemented are of no use and will only make the board a laughing stock," the source said.