CHENNAI: Suddenly the focus is on Chinese sponsors in Indian sports. Two of the country’s biggest sporting bodies — the Indian cricket board BCCI and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) — have multi-crore deals with Chinese manufacturers.

Smartphone maker Vivo is the Indian Premier League’s (IPL) title sponsor after buying the right in 2018 for a five-year deal worth Rs 2,199 crore. Sports apparel giant Li Ning has a deal of around Rs 8 crore with IOA.

While BCCI is not talking about severing ties with Vivo, the IOA is mulling snapping ties with Li Ning. There is a compensation clause in the IPL contract. There is also a thought that the IPL’s association with Vivo benefits the ecosystem of cricket and the Indian economy. Crucially, the central government has not issued any directive on severing ties with Chinese business giants.

“We have to understand that the money given by Vivo to IPL is not going to China. It is benefitting the BCCI, players and also the government in the form of taxes. What we are earning is getting spent for our own development. It is supporting India’s cause and not China’s,” said BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal.

“We should also see that the BCCI has spent several crores on infrastructure development in the country. Those contracts were not given to Chinese companies. Instead of getting carried away, we should see how the economy and people are benefitting from these activities,” added Dhumal.

However, voices from the IOA corridors sing a different tune. The body’s secretary general, Rajeev Mehta says country first. “If there is a situation where we have to choose between our country and the sponsor, country will come first,” he says.

IOA signed the Li Ning deal in 2018 and it covered the 2018 Asian Games. Its treasurer Anandeshwar Pandey said: “We will go by what the central government decides with respect to keeping our association with Li Ning. The top brass of the IOA will first take an internal call once lockdown is over (sometime in July). For me personally, country comes first.” Badminton stars PV Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth have deals with Li Ning. Cricketers, too, endorse Chinese products.