BCCI plans to flush out ‘girlfriend culture’ in IPL amid internal leaks risk – Report

The Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) has plans to flush out the girlfriend culture in the IPL, per the latest report. The BCCI is concerned about its long-term consequences and believes it is better to lay strict measures around it before a major controversy erupts or internal matters are leaked. Amid several such instances gripping this season’s IPL and growing fears of more with rumours surrounding the trend already flooding the internet, the BCCI wants to draw boundary lines that would come into effect from the next season onwards.

A Dainik Jagran report states that the board is already unhappy with uncalled-for controversies surrounding the Rajasthan Royals’ camp, including their team manager breaching security and the captain's smoking protocols.

The report also claims that the BCCI has taken note of several A-listers, including Arshdeep Singh, Hardik Pandya, Ishan Kishan and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who were often with their partners. While the BCCI clearly has no issues with their dating lives, they are upset over some of them staying with their girlfriends (in their hotel rooms) and travelling with the team.

In some cases, some partners are also travelling separately to different cities to be with the players. With a few of them being social media influencers, the risks of sensitive information being shared (in public) also loom.

“A BCCI official has stated that discussions are underway. There are no issues with wives and family members travelling with players, but the matter is considered more serious in the case of girlfriends. Earlier, girlfriends were not allowed to stay with players during the IPL, but it has now become a trend,” the report stated, as also quoted by the Hindustan Times.

“When a BCCI official raised the issue with a member of the Anti-Corruption Unit, the representative said they are not permitted to object to wives and “official girlfriends”. When the board questioned the term “official girlfriend”, the member said that is what they had been instructed.”

Even though the BCCI had already restricted partners' travel or stay timelines while being on national duty, it remains unclear if the same rules apply during a season of the cash-rich league.

“Among them (girlfriends) are several influencers who have previously promoted betting (gambling) websites. Recently, some IPL players have also faced Police cases filed by their female companions,” the report mentioned.