Just ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2024), Rajasthan Royals are homeless. The Sawai Mansingh Stadium and the Rajasthan Cricket Association have been sealed by the Rajasthan State Sports Council. This is set to be a huge problem for the IPL outfits who are now homeless.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Rajasthan Cricket Association and the State Sports council hasn’t been renewed. As a result, the sports council has sealed both the stadium and the association. There is a also a defaulter of 34 crore rupees that is yet to be paid.
The MoU expired in July of last year while the second MoU expired on 21st February. But with the payment defaulter, a new MoU has been agreed upon.
“MoU has ended. We have sent them notices many times. Rs 34 crore is due and hence we are here to take possession (of academy and stadium), the process that is needed to renew the MoU once it ended wasn’t done,” Sports Officer Karan Singh told ANI.
RCA president Vaibhav Gehlot claimed that a request for extension has been sent. But the ongoing court case for the payment defaulter is the deal breaker. Currently, it is Rajasthan Royals who are the receiving end. RR are slated to face LSG in their opening IPL clash on 24th March at home. But with no home ground, there are in dire straights.
“We have sent a request that the MoU should be extended but it wasn’t extended. We received notice two days back that the academy (RCA) and the stadium (Sawai Mansingh Stadium) will be seized by the sports council. The monetary case between RCA and the sports council is in court,” Vaibhav told ANI.