Anil Kumble and the conflict-of-interest controversy

People often carve out an image for a sportsperson they admire over the years based on his achievements on the field and the way he/she inspired them in their lives. But when that image of that person is being questioned, people are in disbelief and find it difficult to come to terms with the various allegations charged against that person. If those allegations turn out to be true, there is a sense of disappointment as the expectation of certain moral standards is already heavy on the sportsperson. So when Anil Kumble, a man with an untainted image in cricket, was accused of something immoral, people like me were taken aback.

Anil Kumble is in the news. But this time for the wrong reasons. The former Indian skipper, who is now is the President of Karnataka State Cricket Association, the Chairman of National Cricket Academy and mentor to the IPL team Royal Challengers Bangalore, is also the co-owner of a player management firm called Tenvic. The controversy here is that there is a ‘conflict of interest’ involving his role as an administrator and his involvement in Tenvic. Issues relating to conflict-of- interest and Indian cricket are nothing new but for someone who is highly respected as a person and a former player such as Kumble, this has raised quite a few eyebrows.

To find Kumble in the midst of a controversy is something very rare and concerning for an average Indian cricket fan. Well let me first explain how his role in two different organizations is a conflict of interest. Anil is the President of the Karnataka Board, so the selectors are accountable to him. He also manages players at Tenvic who can be eligible for the selection in the state team. Could he influence their selection into the state team? Yes he could. Being NCA chairman , he could also scout talent from the academy for his player management firm.

When Kumble was asked about this, he denied any conflict of interest saying,

“The positions with the KSCA and NCA are honorary jobs, I have to look after myself. At this stage of my career, I have to do that. Otherwise, you would have to become like Gandhi and give up everything.”

Hearing a player, who played almost 20 years of international cricket and built an almost flawless reputation for himself throughout that glittering career, say this is surprising. A cricketer of his stature ought to be financially sound to take care of himself even after retirement, considering the amount money that is involved in cricket nowadays. Kumble has also been a part of RCB, so you expect him to be paid there as well.

There is nothing wrong in making money, but doing it when it is directly is in conflict with services to cricket as an administrator is not acceptable. Kumble has been a true gentleman, fighting for his team throughout his career, a well respected man and also a former skipper of the national team. For him to go to companies and talk about sponsoring, trying to convince them to sign a player is derogatory in my opinion.

Remember Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire? Do you think it will be dignified for someone like Anil kumble to run around companies for getting sponsors for his players. I don’t think so. I might be exaggerating this a bit but it ought to be a similar role Kumble is donning.

“Only one team played in the spirit of the game” . When Anil Kumble said these words after the infamous 2008 Sydney Test, the whole cricketing world sat up and listened to him. It rattled the Australians and they were not the same team when came arrived at Perth. If any other contemporary player had said those words, I doubt it would have had the same effect which it had on the cricketing world.

For someone like Kumble to be involved in such a controversy where his morals are questioned is sad thing. It should not have happened in the first place. The BCCI will not ask him to choose between the jobs, his role in Tenvic or President of KSCA, because the BCCI itself is filled with people who face charges of conflict-of-interest because of their various positions in cricket. N Srinivasan, the President of BCCI is an owner of IPL team, the Chief Selector is brand ambassador for a franchise, Ravi Shashtri and Sunil Gavaskar are being paid by BCCI for commentary jobs they do whenever India plays. So India’s governing body couldn’t care less.

After the disastrous tour of England, everyone was suggesting Anil Kumble’s name for taking a role similar to that of Hugh Morris, Managing Director of England Cricket. He will definitely be the right person to take it up considering his wisdom as a player, his influence on young cricketers and his experience as an administrator. Kumble could also be a bright prospect the role for President of BCCI in the near future. So considering the large amount of service that he could still offer Indian cricket in future despite his retirement, this controversy should end soon. Kumble should resign from his role at Tenvic, set the right example and the BCCI should make sure that he is paid well enough that he need not have to take care of himself by other means. Else it could set a trend for future administrators who will point to Kumble for every wrong thing they do, for the iconic status of the man is so huge.