The game is clean: Muthiah

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, MAY 20. The Board President, Mr. A. C. Muthiah on Saturday concluded that cricket was `clean' and was being `unnecessarily tarnished' to settle scores.

``I don't believe there is any match-fixing'' he said emphatically.

Speaking to the mediapersons following an informal meeting among Board members here, Mr. Muthiah said a few important decisions were taken in the last two days.

Mr. Muthiah was pushed on the defensive regarding the status of the meeting on Saturday. He maintained it was an `informal gathering called by me in my capacity as Board President' even as Board Secretary J. Y. Lele's letter to the members termed it an `emergency general body meeting.' Mr. Lele, sitting next to Mr. Muthiah, chose to remain silent on the issue.

Mr. Muthiah was more forthcoming on the subject of Mr. I. S. Bindra and his allegations against the Board. ``He is under an oath of confidentiality with the CBI but we are issuing him a show cause notice asking him to explain various charges that he has made against the Board. We will check with CBI about his oath,'' said Mr. Muthiah.

The Board president pointed out three instances where Mr. Bindra had been asked to explain. ``I asked him if he had recorded the reprimand to the Indian cricketers for placing bets on non-India matches, Mr. Bindra said there was nothing in writing. It was an oral reprimand. His allegation that four managers had at different times complained of something fishy was denied by three of the concerned managers. It was denied in Mr. Bindra's presence. I have also asked Mr. Bindra to give me the name of the Pakistan Board Secretary who had spoken of an India- New Zealand match at Sharjah being fixed (in 1998). We will put all this in the show cause notice and the Board would also like to know if the Punjab Cricket Association owns up the statements of Mr. Bindra against the Board.''

Mr. Muthiah also repeated the Board's stand against Manoj Prabhakar. ``For the Board to release his benevolent fund, the matter will have to wait since it is in court. We can consider his case if he apologises but I don't think he is in a mood to apologise.'' The Board is fighting a defamation case against Prabhakar for his article in the Outlook magazine.

Mr. Muthiah said the gradation system would have to wait as the Board was engaged in looking at the possibility of performance- related payments to the players. ``We can offer bonuses. Before every selection, the players will have to sign the terms and conditions and we shall ask the captain and vice- captain to work out the best way to go about it.''

The Board president also said ``any player or administrator can approach us for financial help to meet legal expenses during their defence of cases related to the Board. We shall reimburse the expenses if the concerned player or official comes clean in the court case.''

On India's off-shore assignments, Mr. Muthiah clarified that this year the team will visit Sharjah and Toronto to meet the contractual obligations. A review of future participation will be done later.

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