MS Dhoni will be seen in action in IPL 2026 for CSK.
The judgment determined that there was no conflict of interest in Dhoni's participation in the Indian Premier League (IPL) under current BCCI rules.
The case, submitted in February 2024, claimed that Dhoni breached Rules 38(4)(a) and (p) by playing in the IPL and owning an academy at the same time. The complaint further accused Dhoni of failing to disclose his interests in compliance with Rules 38(2) and 38(5) of the BCCI's conflict-of-interest rules, which were amended in 2018.
Justice Mishra, in his order, observed that the agreement for the cricket academy was signed in 2017, while the BCCI’s conflict-of-interest regulations came into force in September 2018. This date was an important consideration in assessing the complainant's allegations.
The Ethics Officer discovered no indication that Dhoni exercised any institutional control or decision-making authority in the academy while competing in the IPL. The court highlighted that simply continuing to play in the IPL does not constitute a conflict of interest under current BCCI norms.
Furthermore, the order stated that there was no evidence shown of favoritism, bias, or preferential treatment related to academy ownership. The court underscored the importance of these considerations in evaluating conflict-of-interest violations under the BCCI code.
"The complainant cannot, in effect, espouse the cause of a third party in this adjudicatory forum. More so, the complainant has a personal axe to grind, as the respondent had caused loss to him.
Resultantly, Shri MS Dhoni can be said to be the owner of the Cricket Academies opened by M/s Aarka Sports and Management Private Limited. However, the agreement was entered into in 2017, whereas regulations came into force in September 2018. On facts, conflict of interest at the relevant time when Shri MS Dhoni represented India as captain/player has not been made out," Justice Mishra’s order stated, as per ANI.
"Apart from that, the complaint is the outcome of the commercial dispute of the complainant with the respondent, as well as the respondent and M/s Aarka Sports and Management Private Limited, whose cause is espoused by the complainant. The same is belated with respect to the period of 2020. No case of conflict of interest has been established by the complainant with respect to the respondent playing in the IPL. In view of the foregoing discussion and findings, the complaint is dismissed," it added.
MS Dhoni will be seen in action when he turns out for CSK in IPL 2026, which will be his 19th season in the league.
(ANI inputs)