Expressindia> Sports
Group Websites
Expressindia
Indian Express
Financial Express
Screen
Loksatta
Exims
Channels
Blogs
Astrology
Shopping
Hotels
Tenders
Classifieds


MOST READ


Font Size - -A+A

Modi threatens to take away IPL matches from Jaipur

Agencies

Posted: Apr 26, 2010 at 1529 hrs IST
      

Mumbai: Embroiled in a series of legal battles and facing dissent in his home association, IPL Chairman Lalit Modi on Monday threatened to shift the Twenty20 matches out of Jaipur, saying the recent FIRs lodged against him were ‘politically motivated’.

Modi said he has been authorised by the IPL Governing Council to decide on the venue of the IPL matches and shifting them from Jaipur was an option being considered.

"It is going to deter the IPL management from staging matches (in Jaipur). The Governing Council has already taken a decision authorising me to decide whether we should be able to hold matches anywhere, whether it's one place or x, y, z," Modi told reporters in Mumbai.

"The option to move matches (out of Jaipur) is available to us. We are looking at alternate venues without doubt. If any government anywhere is going to deter the IPL management from staging matches we would take away those matches and hold them elsewhere," he added.

A case of cheating was lodged against Modi at a Jaipur police station on Sunday for alleged failure to deposit the entire Rs six crore he publicly promised for the city's blast victims in the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.

Modi, however, dismissed the accusations as the state government's ploy to harass him.

"The FIR against me specifically in relation to IPL yesterday is ill-conceived and looks to be politically motivated. Nowhere are complaints registered in the morning and turned into FIRs in the afternoon," Modi said.

"Every time they file one it is without substance," he fumed.

He said the IPL was only a facilitator towards donating the Rs 6 crore promised by the League's franchises and other sponsors and it cannot be held responsible for any lapses.

"Already a sum of Rs 5.2 crore has been deposited into the CM's Relief Fund and others who had pledged to do so in the wake of the Jaipur bomb blast, I'm told, are doing so," said Modi, also President of Rajasthan Cricket Association.

"We all felt sorry for what happened and wanted to help. The IPL is only a facilitator." The FIR was lodged by an NGO Nagrik Morcha.

Modi is also facing charges for allegedly acquiring a piece of land in Nagaur district through unfair means. He has been questioned by police in this regard.

He is also embroiled in a power struggle in the RCA against secretary Subhash Joshi and few district associations which have put up a united front against him.

Modi said Rajasthan Royals, by virtue of winning the IPL in the first season, were given the choice of hosting the final at a venue of their choice and they have opted for Mumbai and specifically the Cricket Club of India.

"From this year the IPL would be directly dealing with the final and semifinals and we have a revenue sharing formula with the franchises. Rajasthan Royals have opted for Mumbai to host the final and their first choice is CCI and the second option we have given is D Y Patil Stadium (in Navi Mumbai)," he said.

The IPL chairman said in case the CCI, which is to decide on the issue through an EGM on February 27, is ruled out and Royals do not want to host it at D Y Patil then they can conduct the match outside Mumbai.

As per their contractual obligations with sponsors, a major chunk of the CCI pavilion seats would have to be reserved for the IPL which is against the existing CCI constitution, according to Modi.

"That's why they are having the EGM. We have told them we would give their members 5000 seats in the West Stand but we need a major chunk of seats in the pavilion for ourselves to fulfill out contractual obligations with franchises and sponsors," he said.

Modi said as far as league ties were concerned, the respective franchises will take away the entire gate collections and they were fully authorised to deal with the match staging authorities like the CCI.

"For hosting their seven home matches the Mumbai Indians have the option of playing them at the CCI or D Y Patil as per their discretion. Their requirement is very different to ours (IPL's). All the revenues (of league ties) would go to team owners," he said.

Modi said currently IPL was looking at 11 venues, two in Mumbai and one each in other seven home cities of the franchisees, apart from Cuttack and Ahmedabad.

"Currently there are 11 venues. There are two in Mumbai and one each in other seven cities (Jaipur, Chennai, Mohali, Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore and Hyderabad). One franchise is looking out for another venue within India or overseas," he said.

The IPL chief said the venues for hosting the second IPL season in April-May would be decided soon. "In the next few days they would be decided," he said.

He also said that Chennai Super Kings, by virtue of having finished runners-up, have the option of staging the two semifinals in the second season and they have decided to stage both in their home city.

Modi said that the IPL would resolve the dispute between Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group-controlled BIG TV, which has withdrawn from its partnership with the IPL as its ground sponsors, and the League's broadcast rights holders Sony Entertainment Television by Tuesday.

"I don't know the details, but we hope we can settle it by tomorrow. We cannot allow our ground sponsors getting an unfair deal on air. We will go to the bottom of this. Sony has to comply with our contractual obligations," he said.

BIG TV has complained to the IPL that SET has decided to offer the contract to its competitor Bharti Airtel despite the latter having quoted a lower price for on-air agreement.

Rate this article
 
Post Comment :
Name * Message *
Email ID *
Subject *
TERMS OF USE:
The views, opinions and comments posted are your, and are not endorsed by this website. You shall be solely responsible for the comment posted here. The website reserves the right to delete, reject, or otherwise remove any views, opinions and comments posted or part thereof. You shall ensure that the comment is not inflammatory, abusive, derogatory, defamatory &/or obscene, or contain pornographic matter and/or does not constitute hate mail, or violate privacy of any person (s) or breach confidentiality or otherwise is illegal, immoral or contrary to public policy. Nor should it contain anything infringing copyright &/or intellectual property rights of any person(s).
I agree to the terms of use.
  • Comments
     
Look like he has lnks with narendra modi
by ravikant on 2009-02-17 12:03:35.631183+05:30
Government musst sack modi immediately look like he has links with mr narendra modi and bjp.
Reply | Forword
ipl take away from jaipur
by pradeep on 2009-02-16 21:31:33.903164+05:30
a case is filed modi shoud defend himself in court he shoud not shown cowardice and subject himself to the law of the land his statement is subversion of courts callin for nationalisation of BCCI because it is thinking it is greater than courts which protect our constitutionhe should be pulled up for contempt of court
Reply | Forword
ICL will replace you IPL
by viv on 2009-02-16 20:00:01.716933+05:30
To le jao ..infact take it out of India only .....anyways..indians watch way too much cricket ....so its not a bad thing ...
Reply | Forword
Lalit Modi
by Nathuram on 2009-02-16 17:42:42.013586+05:30
Is Lalit Modi another Ramalinga Raju - time will tell.
Reply | Forword
© 2012 The Indian Express Limited. All rights reserved
The Indian Express Group | Advertise With Us | Privacy Policy | Feedback | Work With Us | Site Map