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Goodbye to cricket!
Lalit Modi resigned as the president of the Nagaur District Association, marking an end to his presence in the Rajasthan Cricket body, which was banned by the Board of Control for Cricket in India for allowing the tainted administrator in its fold.
London: Lalit Modi resigned as the president of the Nagaur District Association, marking an end to his presence in the Rajasthan Cricket body, which was banned by the Board of Control for Cricket in India for allowing the tainted administrator in its fold.
The 50-year-old Modi, who left India after being charged with money laundering, sent is resignation to both the RCA as well as BCCI CEO Rahul Johri.
"...I feel that the time is now ripe to pass on the baton to the next generation. Thus, today I want to bid goodbye to cricket administration for now," Modi wrote in his resignation letter on Saturday.
Modi, credited for creating the cash-rich and glitzy Indian Premier League in 2008, was expelled from the BCCI in 2010, which accused him of rigging bids and money laundering among other charges.
He has been living in exile in London while facing an Enforcement Directorate inquiry for financial violations.It was Lait Modi, who, on the back of India's T20 World Cup win in 2007, launched a franchise-based T20 league involving domestic and foreign players. Modi called the BCCI to bring innovations to further boost the IPL brand.
"Today India is at the pinnacle of the world cricketing economy thanks mainly to the efforts put in by all of us. Special mention here for one Sharad Pawar -- who shared the vision and encouraged me in our quest to launch and run one of the world's most viable cricket products of all time -- The Indian Premier League," Modi said.
"In 2010 it was valued at $11 billion and today the value of IPL has fallen to $4 billion due to lack of innovation. That has still increased the value of cricket in India by nearly eight times. Columbia and Stanford University have done case studies on how
I built the league and sustained it."
He, however, refused to let go of his position in the RCA, prompting the BCCI to altogether ban the association.Modi suffered a setback when his 22-year-old son Ruchir lost the RCA presidential elections earlier this year.
"I honestly believe a system is more important than any individual. Indian cricket is truly an example of my belief. I will always be a loyal fan of Indian cricket," he said.
Modi requested the BCCI to release the funds meant for the RCA after his resignation."...for Rajasthan to aim higher, we need funds from the BCCI which is our rightful share. I have done my part for the betterment of Rajasthan cricket, and now it is your turn to honour your part of the promise! I repose my faith in you and the BCCI to do the right thing," he said.
"I would, therefore, request you to release the funds due to RCA as soon as possible. I believe it was blocked precisely because of my presence. With my exit from all forms of cricket, at all levels, forever, I think RCA deserves to reclaim their share and presence on the Indian cricket map," he added.
The former IPL Commissioner did, however, accuse the BCCI of double standards, saying that while he was made a pariah, the governing body never did anything to stop its former president Narayanswami Srinivasan, who had been barred by no less than the Supreme Court.
Modi said Srinivasan seemed like an "exception to the rule or may be the rule himself"."He continues to attend BCCI meetings, despite apex court's scathing observations. It does seem that while I have been expected to live up to higher standards by even exiting from all forms of cricket, the same rule is not applied to him," he said.
