NEW DELHI: Key officials of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) met sports minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore on Wednesday to discuss the potential inclusion of a series against Pakistan in the Future Tours Programme as part of the upcoming ICC Test championship.
Also on the agenda was the issue of testing of Indian cricketers by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), which the BCCI has been resisting claiming it is a WADA-compliant organisation so there was no need for it come under NADA’s supervision.
In its Special General Meeting (SGM) scheduled for December 9, both issues and the ministry’s stance on them will be presented, reports PTI.
BCCI CEO Rahul Johri and General Manager (Administration and Game Development) Prof. Ratnakar Shetty, who is well-versed with the BCCI’s anti-doping policy, met Rathore at his office for about 45 minutes.
“The minister has clearly told the BCCI officials that the decision of playing Pakistan could not be taken by the Sports Ministry alone. It is a sensitive issue and the ministry of home affairs and ministry of external affairs also have important roles to play in it,” a ministry official told Calcutta Telegraph.
According to Telegraph, the board officials informed the minister that India would stand to lose points unless they play against Pakistan as per the ICC format. They also told Rathore that BCCI had earlier signed an agreement with its Pakistan counterparts to play bilateral series regularly.
The ministry’s view will now be conveyed to officials and also discussed at the SGM.
When CK Khanna, the acting BCCI President, was contacted, he confirmed to PTI that anti-doping policy has been added to the agenda.
Another BCCI official told the newswire, “This meeting was a courtesy call and was planned long ago. Since Rathore took charge, they wanted to meet him. All issues, including cricketing ties with Pakistan, were discussed.”
