"BCCI simply wanted to ridicule us" - Sahara accuses BCCI of playing foul in Team India bid

BCCI – Sahara – the final split

BCCI and controversies go hand in hand. Whether be it the shortening of the South Africa tour or the handing over the Indian team rights, BCCI can hardly stay away from stirring up a storm and now N. Srinivasan and his team has something new on his plate. Sahara, after losing out on the rights of the Indian cricket team, has alleged the BCCI of rigging the entire bidding process in favour of Star India Pvt. Ltd.

“They (BCCI) simply wanted to ridicule us and give it to Star. They have not only devalued the deal but have done it by cheating us. They themselves are saying we’ve never defaulted on any team sponsorship payment and there is no dispute, then how did they find us ineligible?” Sahara spokesperson Abhijit Sarkar said.

Sahara and BCCI has been at loggerheads for months now and their withdrawal of their IPL team, Pune Warriors, have soured the relationship between the two. Sahara even didn’t want to renew their contract with the Indian cricket team that is expiring after 2013 December.

However, a change of mind saw Sahara buy the tender document from the BCCI for Rs 2 lakh on Saturday at around 2 pm and their representatives arrived in Chennai on Monday afternoon to bid for the rights of the Indian cricket team. Their representatives submitted their bid just before the 3 pm deadline.

The wheels were set in motion and officials of both Star and Sahara, the two highest bidders, were requested by the BCCI to step out so as to ascertain the technicality of the bids. BCCI studied both the bids and then Sahara was told that their bid was ineligible. The dismissal of Sahara’s bid meant the Star won the rights to sponsor the Indian team without any competition.

When asked for an explanation by the Sahara officials, BCCI officials said that thorough background checks are necessary since Sahara has been a defaulter in IPL payments, hence Star was handed over the rights.

According to a senior BCCI lawyer PS Raman, “Tender document clearly states that if a party is a known defaulter or involved in litigation with the board, it will be ineligible”.

The BCCI – Sahara relationship ran a course of 12 years and although, they might have their issues against each other, it was one of the most profitable relationships in Indian cricket. However, the last six months haven’t been the prettiest between the both parties and finally the feud comes to an end with an ugly corporate bid.