BCCI must solve issue, Tendulkar tells Ombudsman

The Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) calling Sachin Tendulkars alleged conflict of interest issue as one which falls under the "tractable" category has irked the maestro.

Just like V.V.S. Laxman, Tendulkar too has written through his lawyer about how he wasn't provided clarity on his position as member of the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) when he was already an icon for Mumbai Indians.

"Without prejudice to the aforesaid, the Noticee submits that it is surprising that the BCCI, being the very authority responsible for the Noticee's empanelment to the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), is presently taking a position that the Noticee is exposed to an alleged conflict of interest.

"It is reiterated that the Noticee was declared as the Mumbai Indians' 'ICON' post his retirement in 2013, which was much prior to his appointment to the CAC in 2015," Tendulkar's lawyer wrote in the letter to BCCI Ombudsman D.K. Jain, which was accessed by IANS.

"The Noticee has time and again sought clarification from the BCCI on the scope of his role in the CAC - but has not received a response from BCCI till date. BCCI is aware that the CAC merely performs an advisory/recommendatory role -- and therefore, the Noticee's role as a Mumbai Indians Icon (which in fact has always been in the public domain) cannot, in any practical way, conflict with his involvement in the CAC," the letter said.

It also mentioned how Tendulkar had recused himself when his son Arjun was a contender for a place in the India U-19 team.

"It is critical to note that the Noticee had specifically written to the BCCI in respect of the potential conflict of interest that could have arisen in the aforesaid scenario," the letter read.

The former India skipper's surprise at the whole turn of events was further visible when the letter mentioned how the BCCI, after appointing him in the CAC, was now saying that he was in a position of "tractable" conflict.

"The Noticee fails to understand how the BCCI (after having appointed him to the CAC) can now maintain its current stand that he is in a position of "tractable" conflict of interest. The BCCI response does not clarify this variance in its stance and the Noticee requests the Hon'ble Ethics Officer to call upon BCCI officials Rahul Johri and Vinod Rai to clarify this position," the letter read.

Just like Laxman, Tendulkar's letter too speaks about how his only effort has been to serve Indian cricket.

"The Noticee has served the Indian cricket team for more than 2 decades and accepted empanelment with the CAC to help and contribute towards the growth of Indian cricket. It is unfortunate that the Noticee has to clarify the questions raised in the complaint and the BCCI response. The Noticee repeats that BCCI is responsible for the situation created in terms of the Noticee's honorary empanelment to the CAC even though he was a Mumbai Indians Icon at the relevant time. The BCCI shall be called upon to clarify the issue," the response said.

-IANS

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