Lalit Modi - Chairman, Indian Premier League (2008 - 2010) HARDtalk

In HARDtalk this week, the former chief of the Indian Premier League,

Welcome to HARDtalk. Thanks to commercialisation, cricket, a game

transformed into a multibillion dollar sporting commodity. The

cradle of this cricketing revolution has been India, home of the Indian

Premier League, the world's richest cricket tournament. Like yesterday,

Lalit Modi, was the creator. And now he has been banished from cricket

corruption and dodgy dealing. Is he has been banished from cricket

corruption and dodgy dealing. Is greed killing cricket? —— my guest

personally love cricket? I love Thank you for having me. You are

personally love cricket? I love cricket. I did not initially. I

personally love cricket? I love to love it over the years. I like

all kinds of sports. Cricket grew on me while I was in college. All of my

friends were watching baseball, basketball. I could not understand

football and basketball. They were all watching. I thought I need to go

back and look at my sport. That all watching. I thought I need to go

cricket. It is interesting you say that. I look at recollections of

people about your use. A lot of people say that he did not seem

people about your use. A lot of passionate about it. What you were

passionate about was marketing. Without a doubt. All of my friends

were watching some kind of sport. I could not get them out in their

rooms for a football. —— for dinner. It was the marketing site that I saw

an opportunity. It was the money. But it was not at that time. It

an opportunity. It was the money. that sports got such detention from

thought it was incredible. When that sports got such detention from

said that we needed to have more went back to India for a college, I

said that we needed to have more sports. Cricket could not be a

cricket as it was. You had a vision better product than anything else.

cricket as it was. You had a vision of a very different sport. A sport

that was all about a quick fix. showbiz entertainment. Nothing like

will take place at night rather showbiz entertainment. Nothing like

the essence of test cricket. Not true. In 1991, when a first created

There was a transformation across true. In 1991, when a first created

There was a transformation across sports around the world. The product

was marketed. That is how I came up with the idea. But everything else

came and it doesn't and seven. with the idea. But everything else

years after. —— came into thousand and seven. What drove the business

for a other countries around the world was the idea of the Premier

It was a very big hit. Before we get into what happened, I just want

It was a very big hit. Before we get quote you something written just the

other day by a leading cricket writer. He said that you were a

colossus who stroked the cricketing world with an arrogance and conceit

befitting a dictator. But just a couple of years later, you have

befitting a dictator. But just a consigned to history's dustbin.

befitting a dictator. But just a that how you feel about your career?

League. It took a long time. When I Not at all. Totally different. I had

League. It took a long time. When I was able to fulfil it, yes you need

has been running. In a world that sporting world. But look at every

has been running. In a world that has a closed club of members who are

differently. For me to get it going, used to being things their own way.

had to be a no—nonsense person in I had to set forward my goals.

had to be a no—nonsense person in terms of executing it. There were

many vested interests who wanted it to succeed. The style that he is

referring to was the style of a dictator. I would not say that I was

a dictator. I was making sure that I had a goal and achieved it. You

a dictator. I was making sure that I prepared to use pretty much any

method necessary to achieve it. prepared to use pretty much any

used contacts and called in favours from political friends. He used

used contacts and called in favours friends in Bollywood. You used any

connection to create this perception different from any other sporting

enterprise. That is one way of looking at it. But it is true. It is

not true. I had friends and family and politicians. You are from one of

the richest, best connected families in India. Without a doubt.I used my

friends to enhanced something for the country. At the end of the day,

the Premier League is something the country. At the end of the day,

is owned by a charitable institution and all I did was ensure a that

is owned by a charitable institution used my contacts and favours to

ensure the success of a product used my contacts and favours to

everybody thought would not work. To ensure the success of the product

that was frankly all about you. The cricketing authorities have looked

at great length about the way you cricketing authorities have looked

at great length about the way you ran the IPL as an organisation and

fixing of franchising and the slush their business. You pointed to

fixing of franchising and the slush up rival groups in England because

you are so angry at your dismissal. perception. It was the result of

invested investigation. They were a club of people already in cricket. I

was a newcomer. You worked with club of people already in cricket. I

club. You used it at the time. It myself. People thought I did it

club. You used it at the time. It my personal gains. I did the IPL for

the Indian cricket world. I was going to launch the Premier League

cricket authorities gave me the licence. —— 1996. A lot of people

were behind the scenes. You seem to be suggesting that the cricketing

authorities in India are somehow an illegitimate source of information

about what you did at the IPL. But when the board of control was useful

to you, you worked very closely when the board of control was useful

them. You were on their aboard for quite a long time. It is only now

because they see that you were corrupt, you attract a undermined

them. There were always against corrupt, you attract a undermined

Then why were you on the board? corrupt, you attract a undermined

tried to change the organisation. We succeeded in getting onto the board.

only 31 members, they decided that I We removed the old regime out of

only 31 members, they decided that I have become bigger than the game.

They decided they wanted to take me out. They collaborated. It was the

same group that was there before it 2005. I was just one member who

went through the charges that they would manage to get on the board. I

went through the charges that they put against you, they said that

went through the charges that they have now concluded 29—0 within the

charged. 29—0 in a broad, and that took 11 minutes to pass a resolution

for a report that runs thousands of overwhelming. The evidence is not

evidence. I was never allowed to appear before the committee. I was

committee. But they delayed it for some reason or the other. Why not go

back to India, having been banned authorities, and make the case that

you are making to me to them? To me, life is more precious. I have had

assassination attempt on my life? Are you suggesting the cricketing

authorities would be behind attempts on your life? There are other people

connected with the game of cricket, illegal bookmakers, the mafia,

people behind match fixing, they are illegal bookmakers, the mafia,

people behind match fixing, they are the ones that put attempts on my

life. It is very well documented. This is the more bite police's

claims. —— Mumbai.Some of these This is the more bite police's

attempts on your life were not even attempts on your life were not even

in India. There were some in India. That is a remarkable number of

and you say that you cannot go back not a red herring? You are accused

and you say that you cannot go back wrongdoing. It has been 2.5 years.

Not a single court in India has investigating the matter. Not a

single one has charged me with anything. But you know that if you

say this is just about a vendetta, exhaustively investigated new for

violations of foreign exchange law. They are investigating. They have

found nothing. You refuse to answer questions. Of course not. This comes

back to you not been prepared to go home. I am answering every question

enforcement director. Why do you not go back? I refuse to go back because

when I was in India because of political intervention... There

when I was in India because of always a reason. But he refused

when I was in India because of answer the question. I have answered

the question every time. You did not answer the questions in 2010? Why

would I go back to India when there is an assassin on the loose? He

police protection was taken away by supposed to be a double agent. The

police protection was taken away by the government on a basis. You are

of personal security that would the government on a basis. You are

of personal security that would ensure your safety while you go

was withdrawn and that was the night are absolutely right. And I did

was withdrawn and that was the night I left. You seem to think that

everybody in India is out to get you. Not everybody. But some people.

I am very happy to answer questions. I have answered every question in

writing through lawyers to them I have answered every question in

different notices. I have ants in 15. —— and —— answered. You have

been on the wrong end of them. He sued you for defamation after you

alleged that he had been associated with match fixing. It was taken

through the British High Court and destroying his career. I agree with

that. The Indian Premier League destroying his career. I agree with

now racked with allegations of match fixing, criminality, connections to

organised crime. How could that fixing, criminality, connections to

happen? It happened after me. I fixing, criminality, connections to

not allow organised crime to happen. I was a tough master. I am wondering

here. Where you approached by match I was a tough master. I am wondering

here. Where you approached by match did not entertain anybody. That

here. Where you approached by match very well established. When I ran

the ship, the ship sailed and we very well established. When I ran

earth are you not, with the police, were happy and the fans were happy.

earth are you not, with the police, eliminated from your sport? —— did

you not. I was very tough. In any sport if you have fixing it is going

to die. I worked very hard to ensure that this sort of thing didn't

happen. Today what has come to light in the Indian Premier League...

Their hands and glove. Let's talk about the game of cricket. We had

talked about the game of cricket to the fixers and the mafia, they are

pretty much controlling the game controversial allegations here

today. I use saying that people running the Indian Premier League

are hand in glove involved with organised criminals? Yes. Is it

are hand in glove involved with your duty to return to your country

and make your stand inside India? I can make a stand outside of India. I

don't need to be there when someone has put a hit out on me. It is like

a fatwa in the Muslim world. Why would me and my family want to risk

doing that at this kind of moment? And go out there when we are not

sure that we will get the protection I want? You have told me that. You

your Indian passport which was I want? You have told me that. You

your Indian passport which was revoked by the government because

you refuse to answer the questions. But that is the way it is seen in

office. You are fighting to get But that is the way it is seen in

passport back but you are telling me course I will go back. When?When I

have a security. You just told me that she will never feel secure

have a security. You just told me that powerful people in the country

are after you. We always go through transitions with elections. They

doesn't mean that a member of the future ruling party will be against

me. It is very important for me future ruling party will be against

get protection from the police in order for me to go back otherwise

why would I want to take the drastic step of stepping into the lion

stands for someone to take a hit on authorities, the more I think about

of international cricket today is of international cricket today is

India with its vast young population and its hunger for cricket, is

international cricket in a very healthy place when Indian cricket is

mess? It is very unfortunate. India in your view in such a terrible

mess? It is very unfortunate. India is now threatened. South Africa

mess? It is very unfortunate. India going to limit the number of test

collapse. You will have one of the strongest members of the ICC of

collapse. You will have one of the line or you will be shown the door

out. Two quick points. Gideon Hage, the Indian cricket board will from

now hold an effective veto over the Indian cricket board will from

international cricket. Very true and very unfortunate. They all believe

that India, if they do anything against India than India will veto

it. A number of commentators in India itself say such is the degree

to which the IPL has been riddled with corruption, it needs to be

to which the IPL has been riddled down, even temporarily. What do

to which the IPL has been riddled think? The Indian cricket board

to which the IPL has been riddled already pretty strong. We can't

to which the IPL has been riddled partners. We need to ensure the

other cricket boards are strong partners. We need to ensure the

well. The Indian Premier League partners. We need to ensure the

to ensure that players got the right value out of cricket. A lot of

benefited by the launch of the value out of cricket. A lot of

benefited by the launch of the Champions League. That allows them

to get a bigger share of revenue Champions League. That allows them

to get a bigger share of revenue than they would get from their own

controlling these boards. Give me cricketing rights. India has started

controlling these boards. Give me your best guess. When we you be

controlling these boards. Give me in India? I hope not longer than a

if you get there. I'll talk to you in India? I hope not longer than a

if you get there. I'll talk to you here in the studio if you want. We

want to see what happens. Thank