Lodha Panel: ‘No attempt to project selectors as depraved and despicable’

The Lodha panel refuted BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke's claims that a member of the panel had accused the national selectors of seeking sexual favours from the parents of young cricketers.

BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke (left) wrote to president Anurag Thakur (right), criticising the Lodha panel secretary.

The Supreme Court-appointed Lodha committee, today, denied making any allegations against the national or state selectors.

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Ajay Shirke had written to president Anurag Thakur claiming that Lodha panel secretary Gopal Sankaranarayanan, during their meeting on August 9, had accused selectors of asking for sexual favours from parents of young cricketers.

In the mail disclosed by a leading English daily, Shirke was quoted as saying that he "felt anger and pain about the accusation against our selectors, past and present, and the selectors of our state associations and against the BCCI office bearers”.

The Lodha committee today refuted Shirke's claims. Even though Shirke was asked about “an allegation of sexual impropriety by a selector of a State Association concerning a junior cricket selection” there was absolutely no attempt to “project the selectors as ‘depraved and despicable’”, the letter said.

“During the August 9 meeting in New Delhi, a specific statement was made to 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.

“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,” read the letter.

The panel also went on to clarify that it “would not like to engage in public debate on issues” and that the “Committee is only attempting to discharge its responsibility in a time-bound manner and would not wish to be sidetracked.”