Sourav Ganguly quits RPSG co-owned ATK Mohun Bagan board to avoid conflict of interest issue

RPSG group which own Mohun Bagan ISL team, won bid for Lucknow based IPL franchise.

BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has clarified that he has quit the Indian Super League (ISL) football team ATK Mohun Bagan board after he faced questions of conflict of interest, as he was the co-owner of the team with Sanjiv Goenka of RPSG group.

RPSG Group recently became the owners of the Lucknow-based new IPL team for which they bid Rs 7,090 crore. Ganguly’s position as the BCCI chief, along with his presence in the ATK Mohun Bagan board, was seen as a potential conflict of interest even by some BCCI members.

Asked if he has quit the ATK Mohun Bagan board, Ganguly responded to The Indian Express with a one-liner: “Yes I have”.

A couple of days back, though, the Lucknow IPL franchise owner Sajiv Goenka had told CNBC TV18: “Well, I think he (Ganguly) is going to step down from Mohun Bagan completely.”

Sourav Ganguly in likely conflict of interest for owning football team with new IPL franchise owners RPSG

Earlier, talking to Indian Express, a senior BCCI member had said: “Ganguly is the president, he needs to understand. This is not the first time that he has been in this situation.”

This was not the first time Sourav Ganguly faced questions about the conflict of interest.

Earlier when he joined Delhi Capitals in an advisory role while being the Cricket Association of Bengal president, questions were raised, which the former India captain rubbished saying he took up the role after consulting the Committee of Administrators, in charge of the BCCI then.

(The Indian Express inputs)