Harpal Singh Bedi / New Delhi
Beleaguered Hardik Pandya and Lokesh Rahul received a major relief on Thursday with the Committee of Administrators (CoA) of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) deciding to lifted their suspensions with immediate effect.
The decision was taken after discussions with Amicus Curiae, Mr. P.S. Narasimha. The suspension orders dated 11.01.2019 will be immediately lifted pending appointment and adjudication of the allegations by the BCCI Ombudsman.
Pandya and Rahul came under fire for “objectionable” comments they made during their appearance on a television show. The cricketers received flak for the comments which were considered to be disrespectful towards women.
They were suspended for an indefinite period for their comments and dropped from the team and sent home from the Australia tour
“The Committee of Administrators (CoA) had, by emails dated 11.01.2019, and in exercise of Rule 41(6) of the Constitution of BCCI, suspended Hardik Pandya and K.L. Rahul in view of the allegations of misconduct against them, pending adjudication of the allegations under Rule 46 of the approved BCCI Constitution,” a BCCI statement said.
The two have already missed out on four One-Day Internationals (ODI), three against Australia and the opening match of the five-ODI series against New Zealand.
“Since the adjudication of all allegations of misconduct against any cricketer registered with, inter alia, the BCCI is required to be undertaken by the BCCI Ombudsman, whose appointment is pending directions of the Supreme Court of India, the CoA is of the view that the interim suspension orders dated 11.01.2019 should be presently lifted with immediate effect.”
“The above matter and decision has been taken with the concurrence of the Learned Amicus Curiae, P.S. Narasimha. In view of the above, the suspension orders dated 11.01.2019 is immediately lifted pending appointment and adjudication of the allegations by the BCCI