According to a report in the The Indian Express, title sponsor of the Indian Premier League (IPL), PepsiCo, has held the BCCI responsible for its decision to end its association with the IPL.
In the same report, PepsiCo blamed the BCCI for being unable to "act in a fair and transparent manner to prevent or take corrective measures in respect of sporting frauds such as the spot-fixing controversy”. PepsiCo also said its association was to “gain positive publicity”, but BCCI breached its contract and “the fraudulent and illegal activities committed in the IPL adversely affected the image of the IPL as also the game of cricket...”
PepsiCo also hit out at former BCCI president and Chennai Super Kings owner N Srinivasan for “acting in conflict of interest as the regulator of the IPL and at the same time as having commercial interest in the IPL”, the Indian Express quoted.
A BCCI official, however, said Pepsi had been looking for a way out for some time and the issue was likely to be taken up at a working committee meeting in Mumbai on October 18.
“With the global financial crisis, they wanted out. Now that BCCI is going through a bit of an impasse, it’s the perfect opportunity for them to move out,” said the official.