BCCI relaxes age fraud rule, club cricket allowed in second year of ban

Jammu and Kashmir fast bowler Rasikh Salam was recently banned for two-years for tampering with birth certificate; he can resume inter-club matches from 2020.

Jammu and Kashmir fast bowler Rasikh Salam in action at the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2018-19.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to relax the age fraud rule. According to the minutes of a Committee of Administrators (CoA) meeting held in New Delhi on June 29 — uploaded on the BCCI website on Wednesday — the board has decided to allow the players, who are found guilty of age fraud or birth certificate tampering, to play in inter-club matches or tournaments in the second year of their two-year ban.

Earlier, cricketers found guilty of age fraud were suspended or banned from playing any BCCI matches for the entire duration of the ban. But after deliberation, the CoA decided to revise the policy.

“After some discussion, the CoA approved the revision in the age fraud policy to the extent of state associations permitting participation in club matches/tournaments in the second year of the two-year ban,” the minutes mentioned.

In November last year, the BCCI had made it clear that a cricketer guilty of age fraud will be barred from all its recognised tournaments for two years. 

Jammu and Kashmir fast bowler Rasikh Salam was recently banned for two-years for tampering with birth certificate. A young talent, Salam had played a game for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League this year.