IPL 2020: Fans not allowed to watch matches in stadiums? Sports Ministry responds!

In the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak, all national federations, including the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), have been instructed to avoid public gatherings. If any sporting event has to be organised, it should be behind closed doors, Union Sports Secretary Radhey Shyam Julaniya said on Thursday.

This is an indication that if the  BCCI has to hold the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League as per the schedule, it has to be without public gathering.

“It is the state government who has to manage the crowd and who have the power under the epidemic diseases act (Epidemic Act of 1897). If it is unavoidable and it has to be organised, then they should do it without collecting the crowd,” Julaniya was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

When the daily contacted, a BCCI official said the decision of the central government should be adhered to.

The IPL Governing Council is meeting in Mumbai on Saturday and has to take a call keeping in mind the diktat handed by the central government, the BCCI official said.

The centre on Wednesday suspended all visas, except a few categories like diplomatic and employment, to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. Over 70 positive cases of the disease have been recorded in India so far.