Following the catastrophic stampede that destroyed Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) IPL title celebrations, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has scheduled a special meeting to draft standard operating procedures (SOPs) for future Indian Premier League (IPL) victory parades. According to reports, the topic would be discussed in the BCCI’s 28th Apex Council meeting on June 14.
The following day, thousands gathered in Bengaluru to celebrate RCB’s long-awaited victory in the IPL. However, the festivities turned sad as an estimated four lakh people gathered outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. The massive crowd caused a stampede, killing 11 people and seriously injuring 56 others. The incident resulted in widespread criticism of the event’s preparation and execution.
The BCCI sharply criticised the act, despite its lack of direct involvement in the occurrence.
Secretary Devajit Saikia stressed the need of duty. Meanwhile, given the importance of the issue, the Apex Council has added discussion of the IPL triumph celebration and the need for standards to its top agenda item.
New Zealand tour of India venues to be finalized
The Karnataka government, meanwhile, has blamed both RCB and the BCCI, claiming no official permission was sought for the event and alleging an agreement existed between the board and the franchise regarding security and ticketing.
Apart from the formulation of celebration protocols, the June 14 Apex Council meeting will cover several other important issues. These include finalising venues for New Zealand’s tour of India, which features three ODIs and five T20Is, and approving the schedule for the 2025–26 domestic season.
Also on the agenda is a complaint by V. Agam Rao, president of the Karimnagar District Cricket Association, regarding alleged misutilisation of cricket infrastructure funds in Telangana. The Council will consider the BCCI Code of Conduct for Players and Team Officials, tournament allowance policies for staff, proposed changes to the Age Verification Programme (AVP), and the appointment of coaches for umpires and match referees.
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