Asad Rauf is the latest IPL troublemaker

17 August, 2012

IPL has seen a host of controversies - some of which have rubbed of negatively on the IPL brand name. In an off-the-field development, recently, Asad Rauf has denied the claim by a Mumbai-based model, Leena Kapoor, of promising to marry her, but Rauf has denied the allegation while confirming that he had entered into a relationship with her during the last IPL.

IT'S SAID money is the root cause of all evil. This can be said about the successful Indian Premier League, which is never short of controversies and misunderstandings - both on-the-field and off-the-filed. IPL is one of the richest sporting leagues in the world, and made its debut in 2008 after which it has become a huge hit across the globe with players eager to represent franchises and fans lining up to watch the game with full vigour. There is lot of money in the league, the use of some of which is not really constructive, hence the controversies.

With players very keen on playing in the IPL, there have been instances when players chose to represent their franchises rather than their countrymen. There were questions of unavailability of players which led to conflict with the Australian and the English Cricket board against the IPL. It is just one of those small controversies which had taken place during the initial years of the IPL. Now, there are problems of different kinds that the league is encountering. Rave parties, cheer girls getting molested, and cases of match fixing are some of the problems that the IPL is still facing, which may lead to bigger problems in the future, if correct measures are not taken in time.

One such case that came recently to the forefront related to an umpire from the elite ICC panel, Asad Rauf, an umpire from Pakistan. A Mumbai-based model, Leena Kapoor, alleged that Rauf promised to marry her, and has photos with him in a hotel room, clicked during the last IPL. Asad Rauf has said that while the photogrpah is real, and so is the relationship, he never promised to marry the model, reported PTI.

Many would say that a gentlemen's game has been sullied by by this controversy - that too by an international umpire of repute. It seems all the money and glamour is getting to the umpires as well. Though the relationship is Rauf's personal business, it will be interesting to see if ICC reacts publicy to the controversy. Maybe it has privately admonished Rauf with a warning.

There have been numerous other negative instances associated with past IPL editions. Incidents such as slap gate, franchises taking the illegal route of buying players, spot fixing, Shahrukh Khan's brawl incident at Wankhede stadium, suspension of Lalit Modi, and elimination of Kochi franchise - have all been off-the-field controversies. Now, Asad Rauf has joined the list of IPL troublemakers.