What was the 2013 IPL scandal?
The 2013 Indian Premier League (IPL) is considered to be the most controversial match in the history of cricket. That is because during an investigation, the police have uncovered a major betting and spot-fixing scandal, in which it was found that Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals were deeply involved. The scandal came into the spotlight when three players of Rajasthan Royals – S. Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila had accepted that they deliberately underperformed by giving away runs and bowl no-balls during the match in the sake of money. Hence, both the teams and other involved people went under several investigations, which led them to a decision to ban Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals from IPL for 2 years.
Who all were involved in the 2013 scandal?
It was found in the investigation that there were some players, bookies, and even team officials. Gurunath Meiyappan, who was the top official of Chennai Super Kings (CSK), and Raj Kundra, the co-owner of Rajasthan Royals, were found guilty at that time; he himself has admitted to placing bets on the performances. Rather than this, the son-in-law of the then BCCI president, who was N. Srinivasan, was found guilty.
Actions taken by the police and the Supreme Court
Mumbai and Delhi police were conducting their own investigations into the act, and they arrested many bookies who were involved in the betting racket. It was found by the police that the betting network was so wide that it was worth crores of rupees.
Thereafter, two major committees were formed by the Supreme Court, firstly in 2013-14 Justice Mukul Mudgal Committee, which was led by Justice Mukul
Mudgal, who was a retired judge of the Delhi High Court. The purpose of the committee was to investigate the whole act and get the names of all the involved individuals.
Later in 2015, another committee, the Justice R.M. Lodha Committee, was formed by the Supreme Court to give a final verdict on the basis of the findings of the Justice Mukul Mudgal Committee.
As a result, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals were banned from the Indian Premier League (IPL) for 2 years from 2016 and 2017. Top officials of the teams, like Gurunath Meiyappan and Raj Kundra, were banned from cricket for life. And players like S. Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila were banned for life from cricket and their careers were ruined. Later, S. Sreesanth’s ban was reduced to seven years, and it ended in 2020.
Return of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) 2018
After 2 years of ban, Chennai Super Kings finally played their first match. In the captaincy of M.S. Dhoni, the team won the title of IPL 2018 and lifted the Cup against Sunrisers Hyderabad. It was a really emotional moment for all the CSK fans who were desperately waiting for the team’s comeback. The team proved that skill and experience can achieve anything, no matter what it has lost in the past.
Final call by BCCI
The whole act was so demeaning and disrespectful towards a sport and the public who were willingly supporting their teams, that it led BCCI and IPL to bring several reforms to ensure a clean and fair game play among the teams. This would further save the public’s emotions from getting played. BCCI has then found really strict rules against illegal acts like betting and fixation.
FAQs
Why CSK got banned for 2 years?
They were suspended after a Supreme Court-appointed committee found evidence of betting by team officials during the 2013 IPL season.
Who is the owner of CSK in jail?
Gurunath Meiyappan, the team principal and son-in-law of N. Srinivasan, was found guilty and given a lifetime ban.
Who got banned for 2 years in IPL?
CSK and RR franchises were suspended for 2 years in the IPL seasons 2016 & 2017.
Is CSK caught for ball tampering?
Not officially. However, recent social media accusations surfaced that involved CSK players.
