Pawar to retire from MCA

MUMBAI: Veteran politician Sharad Pawar on Sunday announced that he would retire from cricket administration following the Supreme Court verdict on the Justice RM

MUMBAI: Veteran politician Sharad Pawar on Sunday announced that he would retire from cricket administration following the Supreme Court verdict on the Justice RM Lodha committee recommendations.

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Speaking to reporters after a managing committee meeting of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), Pawar said he respected the Supreme Court’s verdict and would step down as the president of the MCA. The decision makes him the first senior functionary in India cricket establishment to make such an announcement.

“I am the happiest man to retire,” said Pawar, 75. “The managing committee has decided unanimously to accept the Supreme Court verdict in toto. The Court has said nobody above 70 can continue. Secondly, it set a nine-year tenure cap, so I come in both categories and therefore I do not think that I should continue.”

Pawar ruled out a chance of returning to sports administration adding that he would also resign from other sports bodies in which he is office-bearer.

Pawar served as BCCI president from 2005 to 2008 and as president of the International Cricket Council (ICC) from 2010 to 2012.

“A lot of new stadiums were built after we raised the BCCI subsidy towards it to 50 crore. We started the IPL that benefits several cricketers. In Mumbai, we have built top class facilities at the BKC ground and Kandavli complex with indoor nets. I will be retiring as a happy person,” the politician said.

Pawar’s acceptance of his fate signals a change in guard t hat has l ong evaded t he cricket establishment in India. For MCA, which has largely depended on his leadership in the past decade, it will mean an overhaul that will also see a mass exodus of incumbent office-bearers, who do not fall within the contours of the Lodha recommendations pertaining to age and tenure.

The Supreme Court has given BCCI and the state associations six months to implement Lodha committee recommendations.

Pawar added that the MCA will change the constitution to suit the recommendations.

“Now we will first redraw the constitution, get the draft approved by the managing committee and call a Special General Meeting to get the amended constitution passed. We have six months’ time,” he added.

“As per the Supreme Court’s guidelines, I can continue for six months, not beyond.”

SEEKING CLARIFICATION

While the MCA did accept the recommendations in toto, Pawar said the association will seek clarification on certain aspects of the ‘one state, one vote’ clause.

“We have no objections on the (one-state, one-vote) but the important issue is the jurisdiction. Mumbai’s jurisdiction as of today is up to Thane. Because of this Mumbai’s jurisdiction will go to Vidarbha and Maharashtra. When question comes of selection of teams there might be some unnecessary differences,” Pawar said.

“The voting right goes by rotation to Maharashtra, so Maharashtra’s jurisdiction will extend to Maharashtra, Vidarbha and Mumbai. So can Maharashtra select anybody from Mumbai? It will affect the Mumbai team.”

Pawar said they will write to BCCI on this issue. “The BCCI should discuss this, if possible, with Justice Lodha,” he added.