The multi-billion Indian Premier League is all over the news, for all the wrong reasons. An irregularity in the auction of new franchises, alleged link of a diplomat turned Cabinet minister in it, IT inquiries, allegations of match-fixing, appeals by our MPs to ban it altogether (WTH?) and a chief, who, it has been found, was once convicted for drug abuse and armed assault. Somewhere something seems to have gone terribly wrong. Where is ‘Cricket’ in the news?!
The IPL, started to rival the ICL, has entertained millions over three successive successful seasons, and has provided a good platform for the local boys to showcase their talent. But, on the flip side, for the youngsters who are unable to handle that instant fame and for those who set their priorities wrong, there can't be a worse enemy than the IPL.
On the financial front, the IPL's overflowing treasury has raised serious questions of legality of the influx of money. Lalit Modi himself has put the net worth of IPL at $5Billion.(Yup. Rs. Fifty x five x one followed by NINE zeros! The total budget of the 71 nation Commonwealth Games-2010 to be held in New Delhi is more than three times lesser!). What is the source for all the money? Though advertisers, sponsors and auctions pump in money, Five BILLION DOLLARS in three years definitely needs some investigation.
The administration of IPL has also taken a serious beating with Lalit Modi being asked to step down and a number of internal differences cropping up.
IPL issues, having crossed cricketing boundaries long back, have now grown, monstrous enough to stall proceedings at our Parliament. That our MPs seem more interested in IPL related issues than social ones is a different matter altogether. Suddenly, with the Oppositions questioning every move and every aspect of IPL now, one can't help wondering what our MPs were doing for the past three years!
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