Rajasthan Royals skipper Riyan Parag has been fined an amount equal to 25% of his match fee after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) ruled that his smoking-related incident brought the game into disrepute. The charge was issued under the Player Code of Conduct framework, with the offence classified as a Level 1 breach.
Key takeaways
- Parag was penalised with a fine worth 25% of his match fee for smoking in the dressing room.
- The BCCI issued a Level 1 charge under Article 2.1 of the Player Code of Conduct.
- The board also used Article 2.21, a clause meant for conduct not specifically covered elsewhere in the code.
- Parag was reported to have been served with the notice on Thursday morning and has the option to appeal.
- The incident occurred during the Royals’ match against Punjab Kings in Mullanpur on Tuesday night.
How the BCCI framed the offence
In a notice sent to the Rajasthan Royals captain, the BCCI alleged that Parag’s conduct violated the Player Code of Conduct. He was charged with a Level 1 offence under Article 2.1, which is used for general breaches where the specific misconduct is not clearly spelt out under a more precise clause.
Parag’s action was captured on camera: he was seen smoking inside the dressing room during a recent IPL match. With no clear previous case and no direct provision explicitly addressing dressing-room smoking, the BCCI applied Article 2.21 as the governing mechanism for matters not expressly listed in the code.
Article 2.21 is described as a provision intended to cover all kinds of behaviour that tarnish the standing of the sport when such conduct is not specifically or sufficiently covered by other named offences. It also outlines that, depending on how serious and in what setting the breach occurred, the clause may prohibit (without limitation) public misconduct, disorderly public behaviour, and improper comments that harm the interests of the game.
The code guidance further notes that recklessness and avoidable behaviour can fall within the scope of such assessment. When deciding how serious the charge is, the context of the incident and whether the act was deliberate, reckless, careless, avoidable and/or accidental are meant to be considered. The severity spectrum runs from minor conduct, which is treated as a Level 1 offence, up to extremely serious conduct, which can be categorised as a Level 4 offence. The person filing the report is responsible for placing the incident within the appropriate severity range.
Notice, fine and possible appeal
BCCI and Rajasthan Royals sources indicate that the notice was served to Parag on Thursday morning. Under the regulations, he can appeal the decision, though an appeal could potentially trigger further examination and, in turn, lead to additional processes.
It is understood that Parag is expected to accept the penalty, pay the fine, and move on. The match-related fine was announced after the match referee applied the relevant article to the incident.
Parag had been caught on camera vaping an e-cigarette in the dressing room during the Royals’ match against Punjab Kings in Mullanpur on Tuesday night. At the time of reporting, there was no information suggesting that a hearing had taken place.
