Finally, cricketers Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul got some relief as the bans imposed on the duo for making “insensitive” remarks about women on the chat show ‘Koffee With Karan‘, was lifted on Thursday by the Committee of Administrators (CoA).
The duo had appeared on the show, hosted by Bollywood filmmaker and producer Karan Johar, earlier this month. Pandya and Rahul were suspended and asked to return home from Australia following their “sexiest” comments on show.
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The lifting of the suspension comes after the Committee of Administrators (CoA) of the BCCI had asked the Supreme Court to appoint an ombudsman to enquire into the matter.
Accordingly, the BCCI issued a statement, stating the CoA had lifted the “interim suspension” on both Pandya and Rahul with immediate effect. “The above matter and decision has been taken with the concurrence of the amicus curiae”, Mr. PS Narasimha.
Meanwhile, Karan Johar finally broke his silence on the following controversy. He apologised because the comments were made on his show, he said – “I never thought they messed up. The episode was as per the frivolous nature of the show. I thought they were conforming to the prerequisites of the show. I didn’t think they’d get in trouble. I am feeling guilty, it was my platform, my show and they came as guests.
People said you could have edited it, I didn’t realise it. There are so many women of the show, nobody realised it. But if we have offended people, we have to apologise.”
Banning Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul from ODI grabbed headlines for no good reason and Karan Johar said he had sleepless nights. He thinks no cricketers would ever come on Koffee with Karan.
“I would still love to have them [cricketers] and welcome them with open arms to my show but I don’t think they’ll come.
“I enjoyed the fact that I was interviewing two people involved in a sport I don’t follow. I am not cricket aware and I thought I was going to have a blast and if so happened the blast was unintentional.
“The questions I asked them, I asked even the girls. I like these erratic, stupid questions.
“I request the cricket fraternity to give me a second chance. I will next time study up on cricket and ask them about their moves on the field,” Johar further said.
Johar said he felt guilty about everything Pandya and Rahul went through, but added he was happy the BCCI lifted their suspensions. Karan said “I messaged them apologising and the two of them were gracious to me and they were like ‘this is not your fault’.
Both the players had apologised to the BCCI following the controversy. And now after the ban lifts from them, All-rounder Pandya join up with India squad for their limited overs series in New Zealand, while batsman Rahul will join his India A team-mates for the last three matches of the series, on 27, 29 and 31 Jaunary.
