Former Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar has voiced concerns over the absence of legislation to tackle corruption in Indian sports, citing the case of cricketer S Sreesanth as a glaring example. Kumar, who oversaw the arrest of Sreesanth and two other cricketers on spot-fixing charges in 2013, expressed dismay over the lack of specific laws to address corruption in cricket and sports in general.Speaking to media persons, he stated that despite substantial evidence against Sreesanth, the Supreme Courts ruling led to a reduction in his punishment from a life ban to a seven-year suspension. Kumar emphasized the importance of enacting laws akin to those in countries like Zimbabwe, Australia, and New Zealand to effectively combat corruption.He highlighted the challenges associated with prosecuting corruption cases in sports, particularly due to the absence of dedicated laws. Kumar pointed out the difficulties in proving cases without clear victims and expressed frustration over the sluggish progress in implementing anti-corruption legislation in India.What is the Prevention of Sporting Fraud BillThe Prevention of Sporting Fraud Bill (2013), introduced to curb match-fixing, has faced delays in implementation since its proposal in 2013.The Bill was inducted to prevent and combat sporting fraud, which affected the integrity of sports and fair play concerning national and international sporting events.Kumar underscored the urgent need for stringent laws to address sporting fraud and prevent incidents like match-fixing from tarnishing the integrity of sports.BCCIs apathy toward fight against corruptionReflecting on his tenure as the head of the BCCIs Anti-Corruption Unit, Kumar criticized the boards apathy towards combating corruption in cricket. Despite operating with limited resources, Kumars team successfully intervened in private leagues, which were identified as potential hotspots for corruption.Kumars remarks shed light on the daunting challenges of tackling corruption in Indian sports. Its a stark reminder of the imperative of enacting robust anti-corruption legislation to uphold the integrity of sports.
