Cricketers K.L Rahul and Hardik Pandya came under scrutiny when their sexist comments on the chat show Koffee With Karan earned them online flak and resulted in a provisional suspension from the game.
Now, BCCI Ombudsman Justice (Retd.) D. K. Jain has directed that the cricketers pay ₹20 Lakh as fine, to be divided between funds for para-military martyrs’ widows and the Cricket Association for the Blind.
The players–who are part of the final World Cup team and had earlier issued a public apology for their behavior–were directed to pay ₹1 Lakh each to ten widows of para-military forces.
Each of the most deserving widows of ten constables in para-military forces who have lost their lives while on duty, through ‘Bharat Ke Veer App.
The remaining ₹10 Lakh would be donated to the fund created by the Cricket Association for the blind.
Reportedly, the Ombudsman also noted that the players missed out on earning of about Rs 30 lakh because they were withdrawn from the team for the Australia tour. They further noted that since cricketers are role models in the country, their acts should fit the status they’ve acquired.
The order was issued on April 19, 2019, and the players have four weeks to make the requisite donations