Sourav Ganguly to step down from ATK Mohun Bagan board

Decision taken to avoid a conflict of interest.

BCCI President Sourav Ganguly will be stepping down from his role as the director of ATK Mohun Bagan to avoid a conflict-of-interest issue given that RPSG Ventures Ltd, the business conglomerate that owns the ISL football team, has also bid INR 7,090 crore to buy the Lucknow IPL franchise.

Ganguly, who has been a part of the team since the start of the Indian Super League in 2014, is also a shareholder.

Speaking about the development, RPSG vice-chairman, Sanjiv Goenka, commented:

“Well, I think he is going to step down from Mohun Bagan completely… I think today.

“It is for Sourav to make the announcement. I mean, sorry. I think I pre-empted it.”

A senior IPL source told PTI:

“Yes, Sourav Ganguly has already sent a letter to ATK-Mohun Bagan management and intimated them that he will no longer be able to have a seat among the club’s Board of Directors as RP-Sanjiv Goenka group are now owners of the IPL team and it could be a case of Conflict of interest.

“Once the IPL bid was over, it was a formality and Ganguly has done the needful. Till RP-SG bid successfully, there was no case of Conflict of Interest as they were not a part of IPL.”

Earlier in 2019, Ganguly was involved in another conflict-of-interest case as he held more than one post in Indian cricket — he was, at the time, the CAB President, TV commentator and mentor with the Delhi Capitals in the IPL.

The rule in the BCCI constitution states:

“When the BCCI, a Member, the IPL or a Franchisee enters into contractual arrangements with entities in which the individual concerned or his/her relative, partner or close associate has an interest. This is to include cases where family members, partners or close associates are in position that may, or may be seen to compromise as individual’s participation, performance and discharge of roles.”