The BCCI is all set to introduce new, stricter guidelines regarding player and team behaviour in IPL 2026. Last week, Board Secretary Devajit Saikia informed all the franchises about new guidelines that the franchises had to follow.
Reportedly, there have been several violations of the new rules that have not gone down well with the BCCI. In their earlier advisory, the board had sought to curb the movement of certain “unauthorised” persons within the team. They also specified rules for conduct during the match for owners of the IPL teams.
The BCCI also wanted an end to the ‘girlfriend culture’ where many of the players’ partners were seen travelling with them in the team bus or in the hotel after hours.
Apart from this, there were a few other controversies when Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag was found vaping in the dressing room. In another match, RR’s team manager Romi Bhinder was using a cellphone in the dugout.
The IPL franchises have also cut down on the vlogging and reel-making by the players, as in one vlog, Punjab Kings leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal was seen vaping.
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia warns teams against honey-traps, among other things
In the original advisory, Devajit Saikia had warned teams to remain vigilant of any honey-traps. He also specified certain guidelines for the conduct of IPL team owners during the match, and about players leaving their hotel rooms without specifying.
“The BCCI draws the attention of 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 laws on sexual misconduct, cannot be discounted. IPL franchise management must remain vigilant and proactive in mitigating such risks at all times,” Saikia said in the advisory.
He also said that no player was allowed to leave his hotel room without prior notice and approval.
“Instances have been noted of players and support staff leaving team hotels at irregular hours without informing the designated Security Liaison Officers (SLOS) or Team Integrity Officer (TIOs). Such departures create significant security vulnerabilities and expose individuals to risks that cannot be mitigated if the relevant personnel are uninformed,” Saikia said.
Also Read: Arshdeep Singh ignores BCCI’s order, seen with Samreen Kaur in team bus amid IPL 2026
“The BCCI is bringing new rules” – Rajeev Shukla
After reports of the first advisory emerged, BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla talked to reporters in Lucknow last week and clarified the BCCI’s stance on the issue.
“The access that the players have will be controlled; unauthorised people will not be allowed to meet the players, neither in hotels nor on buses, to ensure the transparency of the IPL,” he had said.
BCCI all set to bring new, stricter guidelines
A source from the board has now mentioned that the previous advisory did not seem to have the intended effect. According to the BCCI, there have been many violations of both security and anti-corruption protocols.
“We are forced to issue guidelines in this season of IPL. We saw many incidents which makes the board uncomfortable. We are in talks with IPL franchises to ensure no untoward incidents happen again. There has been lots of indiscipline in this IPL,” a BCCI source told ANI on Tuesday.
