BCCI Comes Up With Sexual Harassment Policy, Players Also In Its Ambit

This is the first time that the BCCI has specific policy to deal with sexual harassment cases. Apart from the senior players, the policy is applicable to IPL Governing Council, members of Apex council and office-bearers and the players in U-16 level.

PTI reported about the nine-page long document in which BCCI has stated that four member internal Committee will be formed to investigate the complaints of sexual harassment. The members of the committee were not named. During the Apex council meeting, the policy was introduced. It read, "The presiding officer of the IC shall be a woman employed at a senior level at the Workplace (“Presiding Officer”)." As per the document, two members of the internal committee will be selected among the employees who are "committed to the cause of women or have experience in social work or have legal knowledge."

One members of the committee will from a Non-governmental organisation or association committed to the cause. The document also stated that at least half of the members of the internal committee will be women.

The complaints have to be filed within three months from the date of the incident and the committee will give seven working days to the accused to respond to the accusations. The ICC takes 90 days from the date of the complaint to complete inquiry and forward its recommendations to the BCCI. The Indian board will act on it within 60 days and if the respondent or the complainant are not satisfied with BCCI's verdict, they are free to go to court.

The penalties for the accused persons are community services, warning, fine loss of pay, loss of seniority, termination of employment, censure and counselling among others.

The penalties include censure, counselling, community services, warning, fine loss of pay, loss of seniority, termination of employment among others.