MUMBAI, April 26 (IANS): Justifying the suspension of Lalit Modi as vice-president of Board of Control for Cricket in India and Indian Premier League's chairman and commissioner, board president Shashank Manohar on Monday said his alleged acts of "individual misdemeanours" had brought a bad name to the board.
Manohar also issued a show cause notice to Modi asking him to explain within 15 days why disciplinary action should not be taken against him. "The events of the last few days have thrown up lot of sad and unfortunate developments," Manohar said in a press statement in the early hours on Monday. "While we rejoice and celebrate the great success of IPL season 3, the alleged acts of individual misdemeanours of Mr Lalit Modi, chairman IPL and vice-president, BCCI, have brought a bad name to the administration of cricket and the game itself."
Manohar said that he waited for the IPL to conclude before taking any action against Modi because he did not wanted to "disrupt" the tournament.
"Immediately after the conclusion of the IPL final, the BCCI secretary, Mr N Srinivasan has in consultation with me issued a show cause notice to Lalit Modi under Rule 32 (iv) calling upon him to show cause within 15 days why disciplinary action should not be taken against him.
"Simultaneously in exercise of the powers vested in me under Rule 32 (vii), I have suspended Mr Lalit Modi from participating in the affairs of the Board, the IPL, the Working Committee and any other Committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India," Manohar said.
Modi speak: Chairman of BCCI's media and finance committees Rajiv Shukla had told IANS earlier in the day that if Modi did not put in his papers by Sunday night, he would be sacked.
Modi made an emotional speech from the presentation ceremony dais after the IPL final, saying that IPL is "clean and transparent". "I am speaking as IPL commissioner and the captain of the team. IPL has been unfortunately surrounded with off-field dramas. The recent happenings are only based on innuendoes, half truths and motivated leaks from all sides. I assure you all decisions are jointly taken by the GC (governing council) and were approved by the general body in the first and the second year of IPL," he said.
"I reassure you that if there is any flouting of rules and any irregularities, I take on the full responsibility," he added. "I would like to assure you fans across the globe that the IPL is clean and transparent and I thank millions of fans for making it one of the best sporting leagues ever. We should not allow this brand to be diluted and with the support of the millions and millions of viewers across the globe. We have seen some talents emerging and should not allow its image to be diminished.
"IPL has faced many challenges this year, but we have faced this challenges head on."
"I just wanted to leave a small footprint in the glorious history of the games. I would like to call it a Indian People's League."
