The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season has witnessed some protocol violations, such as Rajasthan Royals team manager Romi Bhinder using a phone in the dugout during a match, and then the skipper Riyan Parag vaping inside the dressing room. Both issues grabbed eyeballs, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was forced to act, fining both the individuals involved. However, the BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia had promised more action, saying the governing body would come up with certain dos and don’ts to prevent further violations, and he has lived up to his word.
On Thursday night, the BCCI secretary, Saikia, issued an eight-page directive to the 10 IPL franchises, and the notification was sent to all teams, making them aware of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to be followed during the tournament.
The document, in HT Digital’s possession, clearly outlines breaches reported by the BCCI’s Anti-Corruption Unit during the IPL 2026 season, and all ten franchises have been asked to exercise caution.
“The advisory has been issued in light of certain incidents observed during the ongoing season and is intended to reinforce the standards of professionalism, discipline, security awareness and protocol compliance expected from all stakeholders associated with the IPL. The BCCI expects all the franchises to treat the matter with utmost seriousness and ensure complete compliance at all times in the larger interest of the league and the game,” Saikia wrote at the start of the advisory.
The introduction is then followed by a Preamble, in which the franchises categorically state that the recent issues that have popped up have the potential to tarnish the league’s image. “It has come to the attention of the BCCI that certain incidents of misconduct and protocol violations have occurred involving players, support staff, and team officials during the course of the current IPL season. These incidents, if left unaddressed, carry the potential to cause significant reputational harm to the tournament, the Franchise concerned, and the BCCI as the Governing Body. They may further expose individuals and franchises to legal liability and security risks of serious nature,” Saikia wrote in the Preamble.
“The advisory is accordingly issued to all franchises with immediate effect, setting out the conduct and compliance standards expected of all personnel associated with the IPL teams. Franchise management is directed to ensure that the contents of this advisory are communicated and strictly observed by each and every member of their team, without exception,” it added.
Beware of a honey trap
In the document, the BCCI warned all the teams about the potential danger of targeted honey-trapping during the tournament. “It has been observed that certain players and support staff members have permitted unauthorised persons to access their hotel rooms without the knowledge or approval of the concerned IPL franchise Team Manager. In a number of instances, the Team Manager was entirely unaware of the presence of such visitors. The practice is strictly prohibited with immediate effect,” the document states.
The issue of visits from unauthorised persons in players’ hotel rooms was also flagged, and players and support staff have now been directed as follows:
- No person irrespective of their identity, relationship to team member or stated purpose shall be permitted entry into player’s or support staff member’s hotel room without prior knowledge and explicit written approval from Team Manager.
- Guests and visitors shall be received exclusively in designated public areas of hotel such as lobby or hotel reception lounge. No guest shall be escorted to private hotel rooms unless Team Manager has specifically authorised the same in writing.
- The BCCI draws attention to all Franchises to the well documented risks of targeted compromise and Honey Trapping that pervade high profile sporting environments. The possibility of incidents giving rise to serious legal allegations, including those under applicable Indian laws on sexual misconduct cannot be discounted. IPL franchises must remain vigilant an proactive in mitigating such risks at all times.
Unauthorised Departure from Team Hotel
The BCCI has also taken notice of several players and support staff leaving team hotels at irregular hours without informing the designated Security Liaison Officers or Team Integrity Officers, and hence, the players have been directed as follows:
- All players and support staff must inform and obtain clearance from the SLO and/or TIO before departing from the team hotel at any hour.
- Any planned movement outside the hotel, for personal, recreational, or any other purposes, must be communicated to the Team Manager and the SLO well in advance of the intended departure.
- The SLO/TIO shall maintain a contemporaneous log of all team movements, to be made available to the BCCI Operations Team upon request.
Diktat for owners
Following reports that some owners did not adhere to the Player and Match Officials Area (PMOA) protocols, the BCCI has now urged all team owners to refrain from communicating with players and support staff during IPL games. “Specifically, instances have been observed of IPL franchise owners attempting to communicate with, approach, hug, or otherwise physically interact with players and team members during live match situations. Such conduct, however well-intentioned, directly contravenes established protocol and may constitute interference with team dynamics and match proceedings,” Saikia wrote in the official communication.
The team owners have now been directed as follows –
- IPL franchise owners and their representatives are strictly prohibited from communicating with or physically accessing players or team officials in the dugout, dressing room, or playing area during the course of a match, except through designated and approved channels.
- All IPL franchise owner-level access to restricted zones must strictly conform to the PMOA Protocol as communicated by the IPL Operations Division. Any deviation shall be treated as a serious violation.
- Franchise management is responsible for ensuring that IPL franchise owners and their associates are fully briefed on the applicable protocols prior to each match day.
No Vaping and use of prohibited substances
Although the BCCI secretary did not name Riyan Parag in the official communication, all the franchises have been told categorically not to use any prohibited substances in the team hotel or stadiums. It has also been made clear that individuals found engaging in such conduct can face severe consequences.
“Instances of vaping within the dressing room and other restricted areas of tournament venues have been brought to the BCCI’s attention. It is pertinent to note that the use of vapes and electronic cigarettes is prohibited under applicable Indian law. Any individual found engaging in such conduct within tournament premises is not only violating BCCI and IPL regulations but may also be committing a cognisable offence under the applicable statutory framework,” the document states.
“Accordingly, the use of vapes, e-cigarettes, and all prohibited substances is strictly banned within all IPL tournament venues, including dressing rooms, dugouts, team hotels, and practice facilities. Furthermore, the team management must ensure that all players and support staff are unequivocally informed of this prohibition and that no such substances are permitted within any team premises during the tournament,” it added.
What the teams must do now
The BCCI stated that the body holds the team manager and/or the authorised person from the franchise jointly and severally responsible for ensuring full compliance with the directives issued. The team managers have also been specifically directed to hold a mandatory team briefing within 48 hours of receipt of the latest advisory, and to obtain a written acknowledgement from each player and support staff member confirming receipt and understanding of the directives set out herein.
The team managers have also been asked to implement and maintain a guest approval system for all hotel visits, with written records of each approved guest maintained daily. Moreover, a movement log should be maintained in coordination with the SLO / TIO, recording all departures from and returns to the team hotel.
Consequences of violations
The BCCI will also conduct periodic checks on all IPL teams to assess their compliance with the latest directives. “Any breach of the aforementioned directives must be self-reported to the IPL Operations Team or the relevant IPL Venue Team at the earliest opportunity. The BCCI trusts that all IPL franchises will treat this Advisory with the seriousness it warrants and take all necessary steps to uphold the integrity and reputation of the Indian Premier League,” Saikia wrote.
The franchises have also been ordered to follow all issued diktats, as a breach would be considered a “serious disciplinary matter.” The board can take several actions such as issuing a show-cause notice and impose financial penalties on the defaulters. “Non-compliance shall expose the relevant IPL franchise and the individual concerned to proceedings under the applicable provisions of the IPL Regulations, the BCCI Rules & Regulations, and other applicable statutes, as the circumstances may warrant,” Saikia wrote.
“Franchises are strongly advised to take cognisance of this Advisory and take all necessary steps to ensure full compliance. The BCCI reserves the right to conduct periodic audits and inspections to ascertain adherence to these directives,” he added.
Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, the following consequences may be imposed at the sole discretion of the BCCI / IPL Governing Council –
- Show-Cause Notice: Issuance of a formal show-cause notice to the Franchise and/or the individual concerned.
- Financial Penalties: Imposition of financial penalties on the Franchise or individual, as prescribed under the IPL Regulations.
- Suspension or disqualification: Suspension or disqualification of the player, support staff member, or team official from the ongoing or subsequent IPL season(s).
- For Legal Violations: In cases involving legal violations, including use of prohibited substances, breach of security protocol, or conduct amounting to harassment, referral of the matter to the appropriate law enforcement authorities.
- Other Action: Any other action as the BCCI / IPL Governing Council may deem appropriate in the interest of the tournament and the sport.
