The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has tightened its monitoring of IPL franchises after the league’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) raised concerns over repeated breaches of match-day protocols by team owners and officials during the 2026 season. According to The Indian Express, the ACU has reported multiple instances of franchise representatives entering or moving close to restricted zones during matches against the clear operational guidelines.
The concerns were significant enough for the BCCI to issue a formal advisory to all franchises, reminding them to strictly follow the IPL’s Player and Match Official Access rules. This communication from the board highlighted that owners and team representatives are not permitted to approach players, support staff, or dugout areas during live matches unless they have specific approval.
The ACU has noticed several cases of owners attempting to communicate with team members from hospitality boxes or coming close to the playing enclosure while games were in progress.
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“One of the most worrying aspects has been the behaviour of the team owners. They have been flouting rules and haven’t been cooperating. By way of evidence, there are photographs of them near the dugout. Some even carry their phones to the ground. They have been warned, but it hasn’t helped,” the report quoted an official as saying.
The ACU views these actions as serious violations because unrestricted access during matches can interfere with team operations and create avoidable integrity concerns. Evidence, including photographs and reports from venue officials, was reportedly shared with senior BCCI office-bearers.
🚨 BCCI CRACKS DOWN ON IPL FRANCHISES.
According to reports, the board has expressed serious concerns over repeated protocol breaches and lack of cooperation from some IPL team owners during the 2026 season.
The warnings reportedly relate to:
• unauthorised access to players… pic.twitter.com/m3lZqJNiUU— TheBriefUp | Sports Edition (@TheBriefUp) May 11, 2026
The latest advisory also underlined frustrations within the board over repeated disregard for existing rules despite earlier warnings. Some franchise-associated personnel were found carrying mobile phones into controlled areas, while others allegedly ignored requests from security staff to display accreditation cards during checks at stadiums.
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The report added that following the circulation of the advisory, the BCCI conducted a meeting with franchise CEOs where the ACU’s observations and security concerns were discussed in detail. The board reiterated that future violations would not be treated lightly and that franchises will be held accountable for the behaviour of owners, guests, and support staff on match days.
