More state bodies to boycott BCCI awards function

Rahul Johri

The icy relationship between the new powers of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the state associations continues.

Some state bodies have raised an objection to the language of the invitation letter sent by BCCI CEO Rahul Johri to the associations for the 5th Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi Memorial lecture and the BCCI Awards ceremony to be held in Bangalore on Wednesday.

Alleging that the language of the invite is very "rude and un-diplomatic," a few state bodies have decided to boycott the functions.

A reply to Johri from the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) which is signed by its president Sanjay Desai and secretary K Sudhakar, a copy of which is with mid-day, stated: "Though courtesy demands and it is customary to thank you for the invitation, it is unfortunate that we do not intend to even acknowledge leave alone, thank you for the invite."

The letter further stated: "We call upon yourself to please inform the COA that the KSCA will not accept such a humiliation and as a mark of protest, will boycott the said function though cricket and cricketers are dear to our heart."

The bone of contention, which another association pointed out, is the last paragraph of the invitation which said: "Kindly note that the committee of administrators is constrained to convey that only those officebearers who are qualified as per the Supreme Court orders are expected to attend the function."

"It is extremely unfortunate that the Committee of Administrators (COA) having people of repute do not understand the meaning of an invitation to a cricket award function. We are very clear in our minds that it would be a humiliation to the very cricketing fraternity if we accept this invitation" added senior members of two associations in western India that have decided not to attend the function.

Two more associations from eastern-India too have decided to boycott the awards function in Bangalore.