BCCI's bias

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Editorial January 23, 2025

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Now, this is fascism at work in sports by India. The BCCI's alleged plot to 'marginalise' and 'neglect' the prefix 'Pakistan' printed on its Champions Trophy kits was tantamount to apartheid, and is highly condemnable. It emerged from Indian media itself, especially the prospective NDTV, that the BCCI was mulling to remove 'Pakistan' being written on cricket gear and other auxiliaries in promotional stuff merely because of a vendetta it nurses against the neighbouring country. This is unbecoming of sportsman spirit and goes on to confirm a mindset of radicalism, segregation and otherness that is at work among the ruling strata in New Delhi, and of which Hindutva is a political testimony in higher echelons.

The only point of consolation, however, is a carefully worded rejoinder from the BCCI, saying that "it will comply with all uniform-related rules", and will exhibit no bias. That was necessitated perhaps as a damage-control measure to the open-ended warning that the ICC had made to the BCCI, warning against its alleged refusal to have 'Pakistan' printed on its team's Champions Trophy kits as part of the tournament logo. The point that BCCI high-ups, as a policy component, were planning to 'omit' the word 'Pakistan' from the mega event testifies hegemonic designs. The Champions Trophy that was supposed to be hosted exclusively by Pakistan from February 19 to March 9 has already been compromised, as it will now be played on a hybrid module owing to Indian intransigence of not sending in its team.

India must move on from this adamant attitude, and start treating sports in all professionalism. The footprints of politics in sports are unwelcome and disgusting. It serves no purpose other than playing to the gallery and marshalling some cheap political support on grounds of exigency. The world opinion and sports lovers, especially millions of fans in India and Pakistan, want the two sides to play a good and competitive game of cricket, and they shun this radicalism that is a new-normal now with BCCI and BJP-governed New Delhi. BCCI must take a lesson in non-partisanship.

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