Cricket
The National Sports Council's investigation committee has found the Cricket Association of Nepal's agreement with the controversial Indian company Seven3Sports on the Nepal T20 League “deeply flawed”.
The committee was set up under council member Ekendra Kunwar on January 4 to probe controversies surrounding the Nepal T20 League.
The committee was supposed to turn in its report on Sunday, but the deadline has been extended till Wednesday because of several public holidays. Kunwar said the committee was putting the finishing touches to its report and that it would be submitted to NSC Member Secretary Tankalal Ghising in a day or two.
“We investigated the issues related to the competition’s contract and management. We found CAN’s shortcomings on both counts,” Kunwar said. “However, we stayed away from matters related to spot- and match-fixing as Nepal Police’s CIB has already launched an investigation.”
Pointing to CAN’s failure to follow the proper procedures while signing the agreement with Seven3Sports, Kuwar said: "The agreement appears to have violated the National Sports Development Act. The objective is to safeguard cricket. The committee is recommending measures to prevent such accidents in the future rather than taking major action.”
CAN’s agreement with Seven3Sports has gone beyond commercial and strategic partnership to giving the right to organise the entire competition.
The competition courted a series of controversies, ranging from players’ wage arrears to betting and spot-fixing allegations to fielding foreign players without a work permit.
CAN passed the controversial agreement at its general meeting in Dhangadhi on February 14 and 15, 2022.
Under the provisions of the Rs330-million eight-year deal, Seven3Sports had to pay Rs39 million in the first year. However, CAN has only received Rs22 million.
The committee gathered statements from nearly 20 people who were directly or indirectly involved in the competition that was played from December 24 till January 11.
The committee took statements from eight cricketers, including former national team captains Paras Khadka and Gyanendra Malla, incumbent captain Rohit Kumar Poudel, Sompal Kami and Pradeep Airee.
It also collected statements from several CAN officials, including President Chatur Bahadur Chand, former secretary Ashok Pyakurel, Acting Secretary Prashant Bikram Malla and Treasurer Roshan Bahadur Singh.
CAN Cricket Manager Binod Das, General Manager Bhritant Khanal and former national team coach Jagat Tamata also gave their statements to the committee.
The investigation panel found all the franchise teams had paid more than 60 per cent of the players' wages.
