BCCI cracks down on IPL ‘reel culture’ amid corruption fears; players and families warned

NEW DELHI: As the Indian cricket board (BCCI) gets aggressive with the implementation of its anti-corruption guidelines in the IPL, it has started to come down heavily on players, officials, family of team members and broadcasters who create social-media content, TOI has learnt. A few former cricketers who are working as broadcasters have already been reprimanded by the board for making videos near the players and match officials area (PMOA) during this season. Ahead of the IPL, the board had shared stricter guidelines with the broadcasters, including guidelines for crew.

“There have been a few breaches by a few commentators. One former international cricketer was found making videos on his phone near the dugout in a tense situation of a match. The BCCI team acted swiftly and got him to stop the recording.

There could be a case of sending legal notices to an ex-cricketer who was found filming for his YouTube channel. The board has clearly mentioned that anybody wearing BCCI and IPL official attire can’t be seen filming at the ground,” BCCI sources said. The ‘honey traps’ the BCCI is concerned about also stems from the players’ growing proximity with influencers and vloggers.

There is also fear that the new crop of cricketers are getting too obsessed with putting out a lot of content on social media. An India cricketer has already been told to curb his habit of posting content on his team’s travel and other whereabouts. It has also been noticed, unfavourably, that franchises have hired social media influencers and given them unfiltered access within the team.