Sharad Pawar steps down as president of Mumbai Cricket Association
Sharad Pawar has been the president of Board of Control for Cricket in India and also the International Cricket Council.
Sharad Pawar has stepped down as president of the Mumbai Cricket Association. The 76-year-old political heavyweight would have been disqualified as a cricket administrator if the Board of Control for Cricket in India and its state units were to implement the Lodha committee reforms that suggested age and tenure caps for cricket officials.
The Mumbai Cricket Association is yet to accept Pawar’s resignation. “Pawar Sir has submitted his resignation, but the managing committee will meet in the next few days and discuss on it,” said MCA joint secretary Unmesh Khanvilkar.
Sharad Pawar had served as BCCI president from 2005 to 2008. He was also the president of the International Cricket Council (2010-2012). In June 2015, Sharad Pawar was re-elected as Mumbai Cricket Association president for the third time.
Pawar, the president of the Nationalist Congress Party, was under the scanner, after the Lodha panel suggested reforms for the BCCI. The Supreme Court had endorsed the Lodha reforms that said officials above 70 years had no place in Indian cricket administration.
Pawar hits out at Lodha panel
In tongue-and-cheek remarks, Sharad Pawar said the Supreme Court, which has so far been guiding how to run the country, will now decide how to organise cricket, PTI reported on Friday.
“While I am closely associated with cricket, the matter is in the Supreme court. The Court is now going to decide how cricket will be organised.
“Till yesterday, they were guiding how to run the country. Now, they are also guiding the sports organisation,” he said while addressing the 89th annual general meeting of industry chamber FICCI.
Pawar did not wish to elaborate on the issue, saying, “I don’t want to say anything about that. I don’t want to face contempt of court.”
The Supreme Court wants the BCCI to implement the Lodha reforms. The bench, headed by Chief Justice of India TS Thakur, is expected to deliver its verdict on January 3 or 4.