The board’s secretary also mentioned that none of the BCCI officials should use their quota of passes as personal favours to their known ones. (Image: PTI)
Soon after the California-based tech giant Apple requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for at least 20 hospitality passes to attend an India-Australia T20 match earlier this month, clouds of conflict has appeared between BCCI secretary Amitabh Choudhary and the stand-in president CK Khanna. According to a report by Indian Express, Choudhary launched a scathing attack on Khanna citing his refusal to sanction the passes from president’s quota for the match. Choudhary also wrote an email to the BCCI chief accusing him of neglecting important board issues as his special attention has always been on passes for international matches and IPL games. However, the T20 match was later cancelled due to heavy rainfall.
“Recently, the undersigned (Choudhary) and you received an email from a BCCI official for allotting 20 hospitality passes for the Hyderabad India-Australia T20 game (eventually washed out) for Apple. Considering the brand profile of the company and potential future partnership with BCCI, I immediately suggested 10 from Hon Secy’s quota and another 10 from President’s quota could be allotted. You declined it and so I allotted all 20 from Hon Secy’s quota,” India Express quoted Choudhary mail.
The board’s secretary also mentioned that none of the BCCI officials should use their quota of passes as personal favours to their known ones. Commenting on the hospitality extended to Apple, Choudhary wrote, “I had thought that it was worthwhile from the BCCI’s point of view to send passes to Apple on their request.”
Sources close to the cricketing board The Indian Express that the passes were for a group of senior Apple executives from the US and Hyderabad. Incidentally, Apple CEO Tim Cook had watched an IPL match between Gujarat Lions and Kolkata Knight Riders along with BCCI official Rajeev Shukla at the Green Park stadium in Kanpur last year.
Sources also stated that Khanna was right in refusing hospitality passes to Apple as the BCCI have links with other mobile phone manufacturers. “The BCCI has Oppo and Vivo as title sponsors, so if Khanna refused passes to their competitors, he was doing the right thing,” said sources.
Not just about hospitality passes, but Choudhary also slammed Khanna on not taking a stand on Lodha Committee’s recommendations for transforming governance of the game.
