- By Talibuddin Khan
- Fri, 08 May 2026 01:55 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
IPL 2026: The BCCI has issued some strict instructions for the 10 IPL franchises after the board's anti-corruption unit flagged various incidents of "misconduct and protocol violations" during the IPL 2026. The board has warned the franchises of possible "honey traps, legal liability and security risk" in its advisory and banned unauthorised visitors from the hotel rooms of players, support staff and team officials.
In an 8-page advisory to all IPL teams, the BCCI has said that several incidents have occurred this season that "carry the potential to cause reputational harm to the league and the board" if left unaddressed. The board further warned that "the repetition of such incidents may further expose individuals and franchises to legal liability and security risks of serious nature."
"The advisory has been issued in light of certain incidents observed during ongoing season and is intended to reinforce the standards of professionalism, discipline, security awareness and protocol compliance expected from all stakeholders associated with IPL," the board said in its advisory.
"It has come to the attention of the BCCI that certain incidents of misconduct and protocol violation 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," it added.
BCCI Advisory To IPL Franchises: Key Points
Access To Players' Room By Guests
- The BCCI has made it mandatory for guests to obtain written authorisation from team managers to access the players' and officials' rooms in the team hotel.
- All players and support staff have now been given a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that needs to be followed for the duration of the tournament.
- No guest shall be escorted to private hotel rooms unless the 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 and proactive in mitigating such risks at all times.
Players' Movement
- The BCCI banned players and support staff from leaving team hotels at "irregular hours" without informing their designated Security Liaison Officer (SLO) and Team Integrity Officer (TIO).
- Periodic checks might be conducted by the BCCI or the IPL Operations Team to ensure compliance with the guidelines, and breaches would invite sanctions ranging from financial penalties to suspension or disqualification of the concerned player, support staff and team official.
Owners Barred From Interacting With Players
- The board has also banned owners from interacting with team players during the matches, saying that the owners have to maintain the sanctity of Players' And Match Officials Access (PMOA).
- 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 the match, except through designated and approved channels.
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- All franchise owner-level access to restricted zones must strictly conform to the PMOA Protocol as communicated by the IPL operations divisions. Any deviation shall be treated as a serious violation.
Ban On e-Cigarettes, Vaping
- The board said that indulging in a banned activity as per Indian law will not be tolerated by the Board. This came after Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag was seen vaping in the dressing room.
- It is pertinent to note that vapes and electronic cigarettes are 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.
- 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.