Updated March 12th, 2020 at 14:37 IST
Congress demands closed-doors IPL matches; sends advice Health Ministry's way
As the debate over keeping the IPL in close-door continues, Congress' Ajay Maken urged Dr. Harsh Vardhan to intervene and not allow spectators in the stadium
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As the debate over keeping the IPL in close-door continues, Congress' Ajay Maken urged Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan to intervene and not allow spectators in the stadium. Earlier, some key stakeholders in IPL urged closed-door matches with no ticket sales to minimise the Coronavirus risk. With the tournament just weeks away, the health ministry has already flagged its concerns to the sports ministry.
Taking to Twitter, Maken highlighted the repercussions of allowing spectators amid the virus outbreak and urged Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan for the matches to be only telecast live, without spectators in the stadiums.
.@BCCI should not allow spectators in the stadium for Cricket matches
— Ajay Maken (@ajaymaken)
Ticket money should be refunded.Ticket holders should be asked to submit it through registered posts-Refunded money be transferred through Banks
Don’t cancel. Matches be televised Live!#COVID19india
.@drharshvardhan
— Ajay Maken (@ajaymaken)
A request for you to kindly intervene.
Imagine 22,000 persons in the cricket stadium in close proximity for more than 8 hours-
And even one of them carrying the dreaded #Corona virus!
Please stop this gathering.
The matches can be telecast live!
READ: IPL in trouble? Foreign players unavailable till April 15 after visa curbs: BCCI Sources
READ: IPL 2020: IPL GC to decide on tournament's fate on Saturday following Coronavirus threat
No foreign players in IPL?
In a big development, a Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) source confirmed that no foreign player will be available for the upcoming IPL till April 15 due to the visa restrictions imposed by the government in wake of COVID-19 outbreak. This comes two days after a plea had been filed in the Madras High Court seeking a direction to the central government not to allow the Board of Control for Cricket in India to conduct Indian Premier League T20 cricket matches from March 29-May 24 due to the coronavirus outbreak.
According to the petitioner, the coronavirus was spreading all over the world rapidly and creating a huge epidemic disaster.
Earlier, Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope had also raised issues stating that large events do get canceled and that “human life has far more value than IPL”. The 13th edition of the IPL is scheduled to kick off on March 29 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai — defending champions Mumbai Indians will take on last year’s runners up Chennai Super Kings.
READ: Madras HC directs BCCI to reply to PIL seeking cancellation of IPL due to Coronavirus
READ: Supreme Court's vacation bench declines hearing PIL seeking stay on IPL amid Coronavirus
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Published March 12th, 2020 at 14:37 IST