After the violent fall out between Indian and Chinese soldiers at Ladakh’s Galwan valley which claimed the lives of 20 Indian soldiers, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to review its IPL sponsorship deals with Chinese companies including Vivo.
Meanwhile, earlier reports stated that they were unlikely to scrap off the deal. However, with the growing tension on the border, they have decided to review their stance. The BCCI has convened an IPL governing council meeting next week where the decision on the sponsorship deal will be reviewed. The Indian Premier League’s official twitter handle revealed the new
Taking note of the border skirmish that resulted in the martyrdom of our brave jawans, the IPL Governing Council has convened a meeting next week to review IPL’s various sponsorship deals 🇮🇳
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) June 19, 2020
BCCI to review IPL sponsorship deal
Reports also say that other IPL central sponsors where Chinese companies have minority stakes like Paytm, Dream XI will also be reviewed.
“It’s true that there has been additional funding in some of the IPL central sponsors, as part of their expansion plans, that comes from China. So, all of this will come up for discussion in the meet,” a BCCI source said.
On the other hand, BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal has a completely different point of view regarding the sponsorship deal. He said that the board would be happy to roll back sponsorship from Chinese companies If the Indian government wants them to do so.
“As far as anti-China sentiment is concerned, I am all for a ban on Chinese products. For me personally, and BCCI as an organisation, the country comes first. But we have to differentiate between awarding contracts to a Chinese company and securing sponsorships. The money is coming into India.
Till the time a Chinese company is allowed to sell their product and make money from the Indian consumer, why should that money be allowed to go out of India, is my limited point,” Dhumal had said.
In 2017, Vivo bagged the IPL title rights for five years in a deal worth Rs 2,199 crore were the second-highest bidder was another Chinese company where Oppo’s bid Rs 1,430 crore.
