BCCI only interested in making money, says OCA president

Sheikh-Al-Sabah

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) slammed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for their decision to not send Indian teams to participate in cricket at the recently concluded Asian Games.

"They have not sent the team for the second time to the Games. While I respect their decision, I am sorry to say and I believe they are not interested in promotion of the game but only in making it a business, in making money out of it," said Sheikh-Al-Sabah, the OCA president, at a media conference.

"The fact remains that they are looking at the financial situation and how to control the game. They are holding it too close to their chest like a baby, but they need to realize that this baby has to grow."

This is not the first time that the BCCI has refused to send their men’s or women’s team; the same was done when cricket made its debut at the Guangzhou Asian Games in 2010.

See the larger picture, BCCI

"Cricket is a very famous sport in that region and in the Commonwealth countries. It's a top sport in India. All the athletes of various sports like Wu Shu, Kabaddi and Sepak Takraw which are not in the Olympic Games are participating in these Games. I am sad that the top athletes of cricket were not allowed to take part," he said.

He added that the BCCI are preventing the sport from growing by refusing to see the larger picture and, if the trend continues in the future, fears that cricket will never ever become a part of the Olympic Games.

"We believe in providing good environment for all the games," he added.

Among the ICC full member nations, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh took part in both the men and women’s events, while Pakistan were able to send out only their women’s team. The Indian cricket board’s decision made it easy for Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, who won gold and bronze in the men’s event respectively, while Pakistan’s women’s team won gold for the second time in a row.