The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Ethics Officer DK Jain on Saturday dismissed a ‘conflict of interest’ complaint against Saurashtra Cricket Association President Jaydev Shah from Sanjeev Gupta. Jain in his order said the complaint is dismissed being bereft of any merit. Gupta had pointed that Shah being the SCA chief as well as SCA’s representative to the BCCI meant he was holding two positions and that led to conflict. But the Ethics Officer said being a representative isn’t same as holding a post. In his order, accessed by ANI, the Ethics Officer made it clear that no instance of conflict of interest is made out (or at least none has been established by the complainant). “Upon a comprehensive examination of the two posts held by the Respondent in the present case, viz. Office Bearer of the SCA and Representative of the SCA to the BCCI, the Ethics Officer is inclined to hold that no instance of conflict of interest is made out (or at least none has been established by the complainant), as his position as an Office Bearer of the SCA and as a Representative of the SCA are not in opposition or beholden to each other as provided under Rule 38 (1) (ii) of the BCCI Rules and / or brings or can be perceived to bring his interest in conflict with the interest of the game of Cricket or may give rise to an apprehension of, lack of objectivity or bias while discharging his functions assigned to him by the SCA. “Moreover, a Representative of a Member State cannot be considered to be any post either under the BCCI or Member State. Furthermore, it is difficult to fathom that the Respondent would be in a position to influence the decision of the rest of the voting Members in favour of his Association, attracting Rule 38 (1) (v) of the BCCI Rules, since each Representative is vested with a right of only one vote.” Speaking to ANI, an SCA official said it was time that the Ombudsman started imposing costs for false and frivolous complaints. “We are happy that this issue has been settled once and for all. It is sad what sports administration has come to where people are abusing and misusing the processes for their vested interests and guns for hire are easily available. It is high time that the Ombudsman starts imposing costs for false and frivolous complaints made by people who have no locus in the matter,” the official said.
