Indian Premier League 2020 Can Be Decided After April 15: Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju
Mumbai: Following the coronavirus pandemic, Indian Premier League has already postponed and the 13th edition of the season can be decided only after the government comes out with a fresh advisory after April 15, keeping in mind the situation with regards to the coronavirus outbreak.
Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju reiterated that when it is the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that decides on matters of cricket, an epidemic is something that has a direct impact on the love of the citizens of the country.
“After April 15, the government will come up with new advisories and guidelines as per the situation. BCCI is a body that watches cricket which is not an Olympic sport. But here it is not the question of the sporting event alone but a question of the safety of the citizens. In an event, there will be thousands of spectators. So it is not just for the sports bodies or sportspersons it is for every citizen of the country,” he said.
The BCCI had earlier stalled the IPL till 15 April, though the tournament was to begin on 29 March after the government issued a travel advisory, making it clear that foreign players would not be issued visas to enter the country. This was done in a meeting on 11 March.
On March 12, the Sports Ministry made it clear that all sports programs should be cancelled in view of the outbreak of coronavirus. And if it is unavoidable, events should be kept behind closed doors to avoid mass celebrations.
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BCCI President Sourav Ganguly also informed the media after a meeting with IPL franchise owners at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai last Saturday that all calls would be made keeping in view the advice from the government.
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