Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals have been suspended from the Indian Premier League for two years after an Indian Supreme Court panel brought its investigation into illegal betting and match fixing in the tournament to a close on Tuesday.
Former chief justice Rajendra Mal Lodha handed down the bans to two of the league’s former champions after months of deliberation that followed the apex court’s guilty verdict earlier in the year.
Gurunath Meiyappan,CSK team principal and son of former BCCI chairman and current ICC supremo N.Srinivisan,and Royals co-owner Raj Kundra were both found guilty in January of illegally betting on games.
The panel came down harshly on Meiyappan and Kundra, announcing that both are ineligible from particpating in the sport of cricket for a maximum of five years and suspended for life from the game. Kundra, who was found to have brought the game into disrepute, has also been barred from taking any future BCCI post.
In 2013, three Rajasthan players were arrested for their role in match-fixing but the team has failed to learn from its past mistakes in the past and eradicate the issues from boardroom to dressing room.
Acting on behalf of the BCCI, the panel explained that the “purity of the game of cricket” must remain intact after handing out the bans.
Although no criminal liability will be handed out by the three-man panel, the issue is now in the hands of the law and the case against Meiyappan remains open.
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“Their conduct has affected the image of the game, the players and others associated with the tournament,” Lodha, a former chief justice, told reporters while revealing his panel’s verdict.
Asked about the financial losses of players from the two teams, Lodha said: “We did not consider financial losses to players and teams. That is not significant. The integrity of the game is what matters.”
It is a huge blow for the biggest financial power in the sport, with the eight-team league now facing the prospect of being further reduced and star players without a home next season.
India captain MS Dhoni leads CSKs, while Australia star Steve Smith captains Rajasthan.
It is expected that the franchises will be bought out by other companies, but that decision is in the hands of the BCCI.
Chennai are the most successful team in the history of the IPL having won the tournament twice (in 2010 and 2011) and have finished runners-up four-times, while Rajasthan won the inaugural event in 2008 and are coached by India legend Rahul Dravid.
