Diana Edulji refuses to travel as COA member to Cricket World Cup

The long standing troubles of COA with finance and policy

Hours after reports of BCCI having possibly violated FEMA rules over non-payment to Cricket Australia and Cricket South Africa, there was more trouble for COA.

Diana Edulji, ex Indian cricketer and only female member of COA has objected to the move of clearing the trip to World Cup by other members of the panel. She has cited moral grounds and said it won't be appropriate to go to the World Cup under a cloud of financial suspicion.

"I am sure I am not going. I don't know yet whether the other two will be travelling or not. Maybe they are, but I have objected. Even in the meeting (which decided the travel plans), I had said that I am not going, that I'm not interested in this," the former India skipper told a news website.

Dilip Vengsarkar, former chairman of selectors had recently said that COA has become a laughing stock because of public fights over minor differences.

Edulji said she had also shot down the BCCI finance team's proposal for a picnic to Goa, which would have cost the board close to Rs 25 lakh. COA chairman Vinod Rai and Edulji have been involved in an ugly email war over the last 6 months and became increasingly toxic when the Rahul-Pandya issue of controversial comments, popped up.

While Edulji wanted the players to be immediately suspended pending an inquiry, Vinod Rai wanted to just serve a notice and allow them to don India colours.

Edulji in her interaction with the news outlet also said that her objections to the CoA's England trip were because of the Supreme Court brief that confined the panel to administering cricket and implementing the Justice RM Lodha's recommendations.

"That is the reason. I didn't go when the women's team entered the final of the World Cup in 2017 in England. I was offered a chance to go, but I did not because I felt it was not right. I have also objected to the finance team going to Goa for a picnic spending Rs 25 lakh. How can I think of going to England now? My view is very clear: I am not going to England at the BCCI's cost," she said.

Bottom Line: The CoA has previously stopped BCCI office-bearers from travelling overseas to watch games.