BCCI urged to look into treatment of NCA trainers

NCA COO Tufan Ghosh has been asked for an explanation after a letter is written to the BCCI.

File Photo: Jayesh George (in picture) had received the letter soon after Sourav Ganguly’s meeting with the NCA officials a couple of weeks ago.

A group of trainers affiliated to the BCCI has written to Jayesh George, the Board’s joint secretary, requesting him to look into the treatment meted out to strength and conditioning coaches.

Speaking to Sportstar , George confirmed that he had received a letter from the trainers and that he had asked National Cricket Academy’s Chief Operating Officer, Tufan Ghosh, for an explanation. “I have sent the letter to BCCI CEO, Saba Karim, since he looks after the cricketing operations, and have asked him to get an explanation from the NCA COO,” George said, making it clear that the matter will be discussed further with the BCCI secretary, Jay Shah, perhaps after the Board’s Annual General Meeting gets over on December 1.

The letter, sent to George soon after BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly’s meeting with the NCA officials a couple of weeks ago, explains how the appointments in the NCA were done to ‘favour the candidates who have a connection with Primal Patterns ’, which is run by former India fitness trainer Shankar Basu. It also points out that it is time to re-analyse the treatment meted out to seasoned BCCI-accredited trainers.

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In May, Ranadeep Moitra, owner of Endorphins Gym in Kolkata, and former Reebok Master Trainer (North India) Nisha Verma were part of the interview panel, along with NCA COO and a then member of the Committee of Administrators, Diana Edulji. Shankar Basu had recused himself to avoid conflict of interest.

“The trainers, who have served for more than decades, have written to the Board, raising some questions. It is now up to the Board to look into the matter,” one of the officials, aware of the development, said.

Though Karim and Ghosh were not available more comments, some of the Board officials who knew about the selection process in May clarified that things were done keeping every factor in mind.