IPL 9: Pravin Amre defends his role at DD in conflict of interest row

Former India batsman and Mumbai coach , who is currently a Managing Committee member of the Mumbai Cricket Association, has defended his role as Delhi Daredevils’ assistant coach 

Former India batsman and Mumbai coach Pravin Amre, who is currently a Managing Committee member of the Mumbai Cricket Association, has defended his role as Delhi Daredevils’ assistant coach which was perceived as a conflict of interest case.
MCA’s former Managing Committee member Nadim Memon had written to the ombudsman appointed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to look into the alleged conflict of interest of former India skipper Dilip Vengsarkar and Amre.

Pravin Amre

Memon alleged that Amre’s role with Delhi Daredevils was a “clear cut conflict as this is a paid job”. In his response to the BCCI ombudsman, Amre stated: “I would like to bring your notice that I was contracted by Delhi Daredevils for scouting the best domestic cricketers for the Delhi team. All I would say is my role with the Daredevils has in no way affected my work as a member of the MCA managing committee.

‘How is it a conflict?’
“When I joined the Delhi Daredevils as assistant coach ahead of the 2015 Indian Premier League, I was not a managing committee member. I was elected soon after the 2015 IPL was over. And when I renewed my contract ahead of this edition, nobody pointed it out to me. Had I known in advance, I would have ensured that the so-called conflict of interest wouldn’t have arisen. I still fail to understand how it is a conflict of interest.”

Amre also highlighted the limitations of his role as Delhi Daredevils coach. “There are many other coaches who are holding dual coaching positions. As for my role, it is very limited. I am responsible to get the domestic players ready for IPL matches. I am just a consultant. It’s a peripheral role. In no way am I involved in decision making of the team or the franchise.

“In fact, I don’t even have access to the PMOA (Players and Match Officials Area) on match days. Similarly, even in MCA, I am not an office-bearer. I am one of the 11 elected managing committee members besides the six office-bearers, so I don’t really have any decision-making authority on my own. I don’t know how it can be construed as a conflict of interest.

“I was elected as a managing committee member only because of my work as a coach since I retired from the game. I feel such rules prohibit former cricketers to be involved in administration. On one hand we say cricketers should be involved in administration and then such rules bar interested cricketers who want to contribute to the game,” Amre said in his response.

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