Another controversy looms large over Delhi cricket. This time, it is one their players Pradeep Sangwan, who has accused Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA) of not honouring his claim for reimbursement for a spinal surgery that he had undergone at a hospital in London in June 2017.
According to Pradeep, DDCA officials have told him that the association doesn’t have enough money at this moment to reimburse him.
But in a statement to The Quint, Justice Vikramjit Sen, who has been appointed by the High Court to look after DDCA’s administration, has denied that DDCA had ever agreed to bear the entire medical expenses of Pradeep Sangwan.
According to Justice Sen, Pradeep reached out to DDCA in May 2017 for financial assistance to fund his operation in England. This was the second occasion when DDCA was asked to pay for his medical surgery. The DDCA chief also asked BCCI for assistance and accepted that DDCA's limited resources weren’t enough to fund Pradeep’s surgery.
Speaking to The Quint, Pradeep said he sustained the spinal injury during the 2015-16 domestic season. After the injury, Delhi team’s physio P Badrinath asked him to go to National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, where he was recommended to consult doctors in London.
After making a comeback to the side, Pradeep was named captain for the last two tournaments that Delhi played this season. He also approached the BCCI with his problem while he was in London. That was when Professor Ratnakar Shetty, the general manager for game development for BCCI, intervened.
Pradeep also approached the Cricket Affairs Committee (CAC) of DDCA, headed by former Indian cricketer Madan Lal.
“The CAC asked me to resend all the necessary documents pertaining to the surgery to DDCA,” said Pradeep.
“In Sangwan’s case, the injury was not reported at the time he experienced discomfort and stiffness in his lower back, and the insurance company declined to pay any amount,” a top BCCI official told The Times of India.
Pradeep pointed out to The Quint that earlier, this wasn’t the case with DDCA.
“Previously, when I got operated, DDCA bore all the expenses. Even in case of some senior players, who were previously operated several times, DDCA settled all the medical bills for then,” Pradeep told The Quint.
At the end of the day the question arises, if BCCI, which is one of the richest sport’s governing body in the world, cannot look after its players and bear their complete medical expenses, then who will?
Pradeep Sangwan has been in the domestic circuit for more than ten years. It was while playing for his domestic side he sustained an injury during the 2015-16 season, which led to his ailment. So, it is complete responsibility of BCCI and the state association to take care of his medical costs. None of them can shrug off their responsibility citing lack of funds and ‘limited resources’. Even ‘not reporting the injury within specific time period’ is not a good reason. You can’t expect him to pay half of the expense just because he is ‘a cricketer of some standing.’ And at the same time by paying Rs 10 lakh you didn’t do him a favour.
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