The sports ministry yesterday rejected the law ministry's first draft of the Dishonest Practice in Sporting Event (Prevention) Bill and has sent it back for revision with as many as 18 recommendations
The draft covered all inter-state and international tournaments and in the event left out IPL or football’s I-League, which are franchise-based club tournaments.
“The law ministry should have studied the international sports laws of different countries and also the regulations made by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). A great deal of work has been done by IOC and it will help the law ministry to get a concrete idea and what needs to be done,” the official said.
Punishment
The draft bill also proposed severe punishment for the convicted sports person, a jail term of five years, and three years for the bookies. But the sports ministry felt that it should be the other way round and the bookies should get the maximum punishment.
According to the draft bill, match fixing has been made a non-bailable offence and also covers foreign players playing in Indian sporting events.u00a0
