India notebook: Bindra ban a victory for BCCI president

The two-year ban on former BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) president Inderjit Singh Bindra, announced at the special general body meeting in Chennai last week, is seen as a diplomatic victory for board president A.C. Muthiah. The president fell in line with the report of the disciplinary committee which found Bindra's criticism of the board "unwarranted" and deserving of censure, but at the same time diluted the punishment from three years as reportedly demanded by Jagmohan Dalmia.

He has also softened the blow somewhat by promising a review of the case within six months if Bindra "continues with his good conduct of the past nine months". Bindra has accepted the punishment in good grace, stating "I agree with whatever action the board president has announced and I will carry out the direction sincerely." His response and the overall atmosphere of bon homie at the meetings brings to an end one of the ugliest chapters in the history of the board.

Bindra on his own may not be unduly perturbed. He has, in any case, not been attending the board meetings regularly. In the last five years he may have attended hardly three or four meetings and that too, to air his view on the television rights or defend himself when he was under fire from Dalmia and friends.

In fact he has gone on record saying that former presidents must keep off the run-of-the-mill board meetings and not get involved in day-to-day issues. By diluting the award and promising a review of the decision after six months Muthiah may perhaps have helped the board considerably. For all his outbursts and his generally unfriendly stance in recent years, Bindra's presence in the meetings can be a greater asset if he is handled properly.

He has been associated with the administration of the game for more than 20 years and can contribute considerably to the meetings. Meanwhile Muthiah has also put his secretary, Jayawant Lele in his place. That is the only conclusion which can drawn by his diametrically opposite views on the hosting of the mini World Cup.

The president said: "India is very keen on hosting the next ICC Knockout Tournament in 2002 and that the country will not forgo the opportunity to host the mini World Cup. How can any country reject an offer like this?" Muthiah's statement was in sharp contrast to the one expressed by Lele who attended the ICC executive board meeting in Melbourne.

Lele had expressed doubts about India's ability to hold the tournament saying that the Indian board was not sure whether the tax authorities would relent after the problems faced by the hosts (Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan) of the 1966 World Cup. Muthiah however has assured the members that he was confident of getting the tax exemption for the mini World Cup.

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Although now in the last stages of the first leg, the National Football League is still uncertain insofar as the financial and publicity requirements are concerned. No sponsor with the necessary funds has come forward and there is also no sign of any attempt at agreement with any of the TV channels for a direct relay of matches.

One had thought that the compromises made during the elections would help the All India Football Federation gain in financial status but that has not happened. Fortunately however the public has lent full support by turning out in good numbers to witness the matches.

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Vishwanathan Anand, the world chess champion, has ruled out the possibility of a match with the unofficial world champion, Vladimir Kramnik, outside of the FIDE framework. "If the Braingames (who had organised the Gary Kasparov vs Kramnik match in London last year) and FIDE work it out and its a good proposal, then I'm open to it. Right now, it's only speculation," said the Indian Grandmaster while on a private visit to Mumbai last week. It is however quite unlikely that FIDE will organise this match. Anand is expected to resume his chess preparation at Madrid with his second Grandmaster Elizbar Ubilav for the advance tournaments in Monaco (March), Lyon (June) and Dortmund in July.