The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will be seeking an explanation from Riyan Parag after the Rajasthan Royals captain's video of vaping inside the dressing room during an Indian Premier League (IPL) match went viral on Tuesday. The incident was caught on camera in the 16th over of Rajasthan Royals' chase of 223 against Punjab Kings in New Chandigarh.
In the video, Parag was caught casually taking a puff and exhaling the smoke, in front of his teammates Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel. Although Rajasthan Royals won the game, but Parag's act marred the celebrations as vaping is banned in India. The visuals now have drawn the attention of BCCI.
“We will be seeking an explanation from Riyan on this issue, as vaping is not allowed. Depending on his explanation, the IPL will take further course of action,” a BCCI official was quoted as saying to the The Indian Express. The Rajasthan Royals are yet to comment on the matter.
It must be noted that smoking and vaping are strictly prohibited within the IPL stadium premises except in designated open areas. A few days back Gujarat Titans pacer Kagiso Rabada was seen smoking at the team hotel but in an open area.
Will Riyan Parag face jail term?
E-cigarettes are banned in India under a 2019 law that prohibits their manufacture, import, sale and storage, regardless of nicotine content. Violations can attract hefty fines and jail terms. Personal possession and vaping in public is also banned.
If found guilty, the BCCI could fine Parag for breaching IPL rules and setting a poor example for the likes of 19-year-old spinner Yash Raj Punja and 15-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who play for Rajasthan Royals.
As per the law, the offender faces imprisonment up to one year and/or a ₹one lakh fine for a first time offence. It will be interesting to see how the BCCI handles the controversy.
What does law in India states on vaping?
As per the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act (PECA) 2019, "no person shall, directly or indirectly, (i) produce or manufacture or import or export or transport or sell or distribute electronic cigarettes, whether as a complete product or any part thereof; and(ii) advertise electronic cigarettes or take part in any advertisement that directly or indirectly promotes the use of electronic cigarettes.
"...no person, being the owner or occupier or having the control or use of any place shall, knowingly permit it to be used for storage of any stock of electronic cigarettes." Parag is not the first cricketer in IPL caught vaping inside the dressing room.
Earlier, during the 2020 season of IPL, then Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) cricketer Aaron Finch was also caught doing the same inside the dressing room in a match against Rajasthan Royals in Dubai. For the unversed, vaping is legal in United Arab Emirates (UAE) but not in public.
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