New Delhi: Sachin Tendulkar has rejected BCCI’s observation that his alleged Conflict of Interest falls under “tractable category”, terming the parent body “responsible for the current situation” arising due to his role as a member of the Cricket Advisory Committee and an ‘Icon’ of Mumbai Indians.
In fact, Tendulkar in his 13-point response to BCCI Ethics Officer D. K. Jain has requested him to call Committee of Administrators (CoA) chief Vinod Rai and CEO Rahul Johri to “clarify their position”.
According to the BCCI’s constitution clause 38 (3) (a): “Tractable conflicts are those that are resolvable or permissible or excusable through recusal of the individual concerned and — or — with full disclosure of the interest involved”.
All three CAC members — Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman — have been served notices by the Ombudsman cum Ethics officer and all have rejected any conflict of interest in their initial affidavits.
However what seems to have angered the legendary cricketer is BCCI CEO Johri’s letter (in consultation with CoA) to Jain where just like Ganguly, Tendulkar’s issue has also been termed as a case of “tractable Conflict of Interest”, a contention that the iconic cricketer firmly rejected.
“Without prejudice to the aforesaid, the Noticee submits that it is surprising that the BCCI, being the very authority responsible for the Noticee’s empanelment to the Cricket Advisory Committee (“CAC”), is presently taking a position that the Noticee is exposed to an alleged conflict of interest. It is reiterated that, the Noticee was declared as the Mumbai Indians ‘ICON’ post his retirement in 2013, which was much prior to his appointment to the CAC in 2015,” Tendulkar has stated in his response.
Just like Laxman, Tendulkar also reiterated that neither the CEO nor the CoA had ever clarified the terms of reference with regards to his appointment in CAC.
“The Noticee (Tendulkar) has time and again sought clarification from the BCCI on the scope of his role in the CAC — but has not received a response from BCCI till date. BCCI is aware that the CAC merely performs an advisory / recommendatory role — and therefore, the Noticee’s role as a Mumbai Indians Icon (which in fact has always been in the public domain) cannot, in any practical way, conflict with his involvement in the CAC.
