Jwala Gutta's IBL conduct to be investigated

Jwala Gutta (File Photo)

New Delhi, Sep 5 (IANS) The Badminton Association of India’s disciplinary committee will investigate doubles shuttler Jwala Gutta‘s conduct during the Indian Badminton League (IBL) when her side, the Krrish Delhi Smashers, threatened to abandon a tie in Bangalore on August 25.

The Delhi team, led by icon player Jwala, threatened to forfeit the tie against the Banga Beats when the latter tried to replace an injured singles player Hu Yun with Jan O Jorgensen at the eleventh hour.

The Smashers protested despite the IBL governing council’s go-ahead to the Beats. Only after the hosts decided to leave out O Jorgensen and play Arvind Bhat instead, did Delhi agree to continue.

“BAI’s disciplinary committee headed by S. Muralitharan has been asked to investigate Jwala Gutta’s conduct during the IBL. She has been served a show-cause notice and has been asked to explain her conduct during the incident. She will have to respond to the notice within 14 days,” said a BAI statement Thursday.

BAI’s executive council has also decided to appoint a retired High Court judge to investigate the incident when the match was delayed by half an hour due to the same issue.

“The IBL’s governing council has been asked to appoint a retired High Court judge to investigate the incident during the league match between Krrish Delhi Smashers and Banga Beats on August 25. The start of the match was delayed for half an hour after Delhi Smashers refused to take the court over a replacement player. The governing council will meet in the next few days to finalise the appointment,” added the statement.

The statement also said that the BAI executive council has granted the suspended Delhi Badminton Association (DBA), the status of a club without voting rights.