India: BCCI distances itself from Indian Junior Players League

The Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) has distanced itself from the Indian Junior Players League, which was played in Dubai last month. The tournament was not sanctioned by the board and Amitabh Choudhary, the BCCI acting secretary, had already warned the players and the state associations to not participate in the tournament.

"Our attention has been drawn to the following tournaments. A) Indian Junior Players League (IJPL) B) Indian Junior Premier League. Please note that BCCI has not approved both these tournaments. You are requested to advise the registered players of your association that they should not associate with these tournaments," Choudhary had written in an email to the state associations.

"It has come to our attention that certain T20 cricket matches, series, tournaments and/or camps are being conducted by leagues under the names of Indian Junior Players League ("IJPL") and Junior India Player League / Junior Indian League ("JIPL")," the BCCI said in a release on Monday (October 9). "This is to bring to your notice that any matches, camps tournament and/or series organized by IJPL and JIPL (collectively the "Leagues") or any activity undertaken by the said Leagues are not being conducted by the BCCI/Indian Premier League ("IPL") and are in no way associated with any activities undertaken or approved by the BCCI/IPL or their representatives.

"Accordingly, any matches and activities conducted by the Leagues are deemed to be Unapproved Tournaments. Any player registered with the BCCI knowingly participating, representing or associating himself/herself with IJPL and JIPL in any manner is doing so without the consent of BCCI would be doing so in violation of the BCCI Rules and Regulations," the release further stated.

The league, at one stage, had Gautam Gambhir as its brand ambassador with other domestic cricketers associated with it as well. The BCCI clarified that the cricketers associated with the tournament had withdrawn their support before the tournament commenced. "The players who had been associated with any one of the Leagues in the past i.e. Gautam Gambhir, Paras Dogra and Rishi Dhawan have stated in writing that they have withdrawn all support and are no longer associated with the said unapproved Leagues," the board confirmed.

(CRICBUZZ)