Impossible For Foreign Players To Join IPL Teams Before April 15: CSK CEO

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Kasi Vishwanathan has made it clear that the fresh visa advisory from the Indian government has made it almost impossible for foreign players to join their respective IPL teams before April 15. He said that situation could change only if the BCCI gets special permission from the government which looks highly unlikely at the moment.

The government, on Wednesday, came up with the new visa restriction in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. A second meeting of the Group of Ministers cancelled all visas, except for a few official categories, till April 15 in the wake of the growing coronavirus scare.

In the meeting held at Nirman Bhavan in the national capital, it was decided that all existing visas, except diplomatic, official, UN/international organisations, employment and project visas, stand suspended till April 15 as the coronavirus outbreak has already seen over 60 positive cases in India.

Reacting to the government’s decision, Kasi Vishwanathan said that most of the foreign players are booked on business visas and in such a scenario the fresh advisory says that they won’t be allowed entry till April 15.

“Most of the players are travelling with business visas and that is how they come and play in the IPL. So, it will be impossible for them to join the teams unless the BCCI gets special permission. As of now, it is not possible as the diktat is pretty clear and we cannot go against the government,” Kasi Vishwanathan told IANS.

“The BCCI needs to sit down with the government and I mean both the Central and the State Governments across the board and get to some understanding on how they need to go forward. Unless special permission is given, it will not be possible for foreign players to join the teams,” he added when asked the best step forward.

Meanwhile, the IPL governing council will hold a meeting late this week to take a call on the tournament. The thirteenth edition of the league is scheduled to start on March 29 in Mumbai.

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