With days to go for the start of the Indian Premier League, there is more bad news for the organisers. Reportedly, 14 members in the broadcast bio-bubble have contracted the virus. As per a report in Outlook, 14 personnel of the Four Seasons Hotel where Star Sports World Feed Crew is staying has tested positive.

“Please check with the BCCI…we don’t manage the Four Seasons bubble,” STAR Sports CEO Sanjog Gupta told Outlook.

The fourteen members who contracted the virus comprise a cameraman, producers, directors, EVS operators (people who provide slow and ultra-motion replays and instant graphics), and video editors.

“Star is concerned about their broadcast crew. If the ground-staff and event management team is getting Covid-19 infected – the same can happen to Star’s crew. They have to closely mingle around with both ground-staff as well as the event team. That is the reason Star is very concerned about the situation”, said BCCI source to InsideSport.

This comes a day after RCB announced Devdutt Padikkal has tested positive for Coronavirus.

Meanwhile, BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has confirmed that the IPL is going ahead as per schedule. Despite the rise in COVID cases across the country, BCCI has said it will approach the Health Ministry.

MCA, though, claims it has been assured by city municipal commissioner that IPL matches will not be impacted due to the latest measures taken to tackle the spread of the deadly virus.

“We have had a call from the city municipal commissioner,” Cricbuzz quoted an MCA office-bearer as saying. “The association has been assured that the lockdown measures will have no impact on the IPL games. The other cricketing activities will, however, have to be immediately stopped.

All cricket activities which are part of the bio-secure bubble will be permitted to go ahead while others outside it will have to be stopped. “Any cricket activity that is part of a bio-secure bubble will be permitted uninterrupted,” the official added.

Reigning champions Mumbai Indians will play the season opener against Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore on April 9 in Chennai.