IPL spot-fixing: How could we let Sreesanth and company escape?

The Patiala House Court’s decision to exonerate S Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila of charges of involvement with bookies and spot-fixing in the Indian Premier League (IPL), 2013 is a huge embarrassment for the Delhi Police which acted in haste and registered cases of serious offences against the Rajasthan Royals trio.

For over two years, the three cricketers have been in the wilderness and unable to ply their trade, though, even after Saturday’s verdict the Indian cricket board (Board of Control for Cricket in India) said it was in no hurry to lift the life bans on the trio.

Sreesanth told the media he was happy his name has been cleared as the purported charge of links with the underworld, in which the names of Dawood Ibrahim and Chota Shakeel had also been mentioned by the Delhi Police, fell flat for the lack of evidence.

Since the time the three cricketers were hauled up by the Delhi Police and booked under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, 1999 (MCOCA) — there was unrest in cricketing circles as to how betting and fixing had raised its ugly head again. Many felt using the draconian law used to combat organised crime and terrorism was carrying things a bit too far against these cricketers.

To that extent, the three cricketers were vindicated on Saturday. To term this as a victory for the cricketers would be a bit misplaced as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is in no hurry to allow them to play cricket again because it was the disciplinary panel of the board that had found them guilty of dealing with bookies.

To be sure, this is a defeat for the Delhi Police which acted in haste when Neeraj Kumar was its commissioner. The same man now heads the BCCI anti-corruption unit and must be wondering how he went wrong in this case.

Way back in 2000, when Mohammad Azharuddin, Ajay Sharma, Manoj Prabhakar, Nayan Mongia, Ajay Jadeja and Team India physiotherapist Ali Irani were hauled up for acts of misdemeanour, they escaped because there was no law in the land to deal with corruption in sport.

Fifteen years later, Sreesanth, Chavan and Chandila are again off the hook as there is still no law in India to deal with sports cheats. Be it sportsmen caught for links with bookies or direct involvement in spot-fixing or other frauds like doping, nothing will deter them as they know there is no law to punish them.

Just imagine, in a vast country like ours which has been getting tougher and tougher while dealing with those involved in rape and other heinous crimes, none has thought it right in all these years to frame laws to deal with sporting cheats.

The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime slept over sports laws and now we hear the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government is very keen to take the matter up in Parliament and that files are moving. Sports minister Sarbanada Sonowal and his colleagues in the Union Cabinet must fast track the sports law as from betting to cheating and dealing with age frauds and so on, any number of cases are being tossed out of the window for the lack of a strong law.

Quite often, people talk about India not being a sporting nation. Even if the sporting part is going to be implemented by the government and Grand Slam champions like Sania Mirza are able to inspire young girls, we still need to educate the youth on the deleterious effects of cheating.

In sport as in life, honesty is something which can be talked about and discussed at various platforms. Let sporting laws come into play and then see how those involved in illegal betting rackets face the music.

The situation now is very scary. In the course of a normal conversation when people say “want to take a bet?” one knows if it has anything to do with an actual financial transaction. But when bookies make money on cricket from local club matches to first-class cricket and the IPL, the volumes at stake are huge.

Politicians have spoken about legalising betting but not one individual from any political party has shown the will to act fast and firmly. Next year, India is going to host the ICC World T20, and other blue riband sporting events will also take place.

If we have laws to deal with the menace of cheating, the process of educating youngsters can begin as early as the school stage. Forget betting and spot-fixing, age fraud starts to take place in Indian sports even before a child has entered his or her teens.

The education system is also to be blamed as there are any number of schools in the country which want their wards to collect trophies to adorn their showcases.

There are several important bills pending in Parliament but I do hope politicians will show a collective will to address the menace of cheating in sport for the betterment of the society.