Lodha Committee orders should be strictly followed: Sports Minister Sonowal

New Delhi: Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on Wednesday that Lodha Committee’s recommendations on the punishment to the IPL Franchisees should be followed.

A Supreme Court appointed Committee handed out life suspensions to Chennai Super Kings and Rajatshna Royals’ owners after they were found guilty of placing bets during the 2013 edition of the league.

“Whatever the court has ordered should be followed. We have to respect the order,” the minister said.

According to Sonowal, people of India want the sports to be above corruption and controversy.

“Whatever the court has decided and whatever order has come, has to be strictly followed to bring governance and accountability. We also want to make the sports activities more transparent,” Sonowal reiterated on Thursday when asked by media to comment on the development.

He was in Ahmedabad to attend a ‘Sports Meet 2015’ organised by ASSOCHAM.

Gurunath Meiyappan and Raj Kundra were given life bans while their teams were suspended for two years.

“Sports should always be free of controversy. There should always be more transparency and accountability has to be there,” he said referring to BCCI.

“Purity of the game has been affected by the actions of India Cements and CSK. Fans have been cheated,” said Lodha before stressing on why money isn’t he be all and end all of cricket. “If cricket is indeed bigger, financial loss to player or franchises is not important.”

PTI