New Delhi: The Supreme Court-appointed Justice Lodha Panel on Wednesday denied that it had painted cricket selectors as morally ‘depraved and despicable’ individuals as has been reported in a section of the media, saying there was no attempt on its part to do so.
Quoting BCCI Secretary Ajay Shirke, reports in a section of the media had said that a member of the Lodha panel had made accusations that cricket selectors took “sexual favours” while picking players.
“It is reiterated that no allegation was made regarding national selectors or state selectors or office bearers. There was absolutely no attempt to project the selectors as ‘depraved and despicable’,” the panel said in a press release.
“The functions of this Committee being to fulfill the directions of the Honourable Supreme Court, it would not like to engage in public debate on issues. The Committee is only attempting to discharge its responsibility in a time bound manner and would not wish to be sidetracked,” it added.
Refuting the news report, the panel said: “During the meeting of August 9, 2016, in New Delhi, a specific statement was made to Mr. Shirke that the need for the Court to intervene in the BCCI’s functioning arose from its continuing inaction when there were several complaints concerning the conduct of State Associations,” the release said.
“A question was put to Mr. Shirke as to what action the BCCI took against State Associations when serious allegations were made of corruption, nepotism, and even an allegation of sexual impropriety by a selector of a State Association concerning a junior cricket selection, which appeared in news reports.
Mr. Shirke vaguely responded by saying that these were societal issues and that allegations are made against various persons and that such allegations cannot be treated as proof of some irregularity. There was no further discussion on this issue,” the panel said.
