“CoA Did Not See a Conflict”: Vinod Rai on the Conflict of Interest Notice to Cricket Advisory Committee

The Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) comprising of Kapil Dev, Anshuman Gaekwad and Shantha Rangaswamy was served a conflict of interest by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Ethics Officer DK Jain. Now, the question has arisen whether head coach Ravi Shastri will have to face the consequences if the CAC is found guilty.

While speaking to IANS, CoA chief Vinod Rai said that the committee wouldn’t have given the CAC the permission if they had found any conflict of interest in them. The committee, however, picked the head coach of the Indian men’s team.

“The CoA did not see a conflict and hence, the appointment was done. Even if there was a difference of opinion within the CoA, that person who was in the minority has not asked for his/her opinion to be recorded,” he said.

When he was asked what would happen if they find the trio conflicted, Rai refused to give a proper answer.

“Firstly, it is a hypothetical question, and secondly, it is unfair on me to prejudge a decision of the Ethics Officer,” he expressed.

On the other hand, while speaking to IANS, CoA member Diana Edulji said that the Ethics Officer’s decision is the final on the conflict of interest rules. If he finds the committee conflicted, then the process of coach appointment has to be done again.

“To be honest, I am not against any individual. But even in the case of WV Raman’s appointment as the women’s team coach, I had said that the BCCI constitution has no place for an ad-hoc CAC. Similarly, in Shastri’s case also, if the Ethics Officer does rule against the CAC and says there is conflict, the process will automatically have to be redone keeping the rules of the constitution in mind,” she shared.

Earlier in the day, Shantha Rangaswamy, the former India captain, has resigned from her position as a member of the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) and director of the Indian Cricketers Association (ICA) following the Conflict of Interest notice sent by BCCI Ethics Officer DK Jain.