Will make BCCI a role model: CoA chief

Kolkata, Jan 27 - Admitting the cleansing of Indian cricket would not happen overnight, Committee of Administrators (COA) chief Vinod Rai said on Saturday that his aim is to make the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) a role model for sports administration.

In the same breadth, Rai added that implementing the wholesome reform is still a long way off.

"As an avid sports lover, I would very much like to see BCCI become the role model in large number of ways for administration to be built upon in a large number of way in the days to come.

"Anything that needs to be cleaned up in a system has degenerated over a period of 30 years -- at least. We have to go through the court process, which takes long in India. You can't do 30 years of cleansing overnight.

"The buzzword for us is perseverance. Only thing I can say is I'm a retired unemployed, totally benign private citizen. I've tons of time and I've perseverance," Rai said during a session on "Reforming Indian Sport" organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce.

Rai assured that 99 percent of the problems that is plaguing Indian cricket have been identified.

"We should acknowledge they have gotten to the root of the problem. You can't expect a committee of one and half years to get to the 360 degrees of the entire problem. 

"But I must say 99 per cent of the problems have been identified, we have tried to plug it also. They have done a fairly good job about the diagnosis of the problems that confront Indian cricket today."

"When you're out there trying to fix things, you have to be thick-skinned and and you can't let these things allow to embarrass you. You're addressing issues about policy reforms and how can you you allow personalities to derail... You have continue to focus on whatever happening. 

"You look at China in Olympics 30 years back. Where were they? Look at now...The state has taken over. It's the pursuit of excellence and with professionalism that has delivered," he further explained.

The next Supreme Court hearing on the implementations of the reforms is on January 29. Rai said they have submitted six status reports to the court and the moment the directions come out, they will swing into action in three to six months' time. 

"We are ready with our models. We are awaiting for court directions. There has not been any scope for a political intereference. 

"If we could have done we would have done it six months' back. You must understand that we are a Supreme Court--appointed committee and we can function only to the extend that the Supreme Court provides us the mandate. We have given six status reports to the court. 

"We are hoping to get some directions on it. There's a hearing that's scheduled on January 29. The moment the directions come we will get it done in three to six months' time."

Rai was asked how politicians help in cricket administration. Though not saying, they should be taken out completely, Rai urged former cricketers to come into the management of the game.

"You require good administrators in sports administration. Politicians also make good administrators. I'm not saying politicians should be out. The reason why I support ex-players in committee is because they have gone through the pains, suffering the tribulations. He understands where the shoe pinches," the 69-year old said.

IANS