The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday said that media persons will not be allowed to visit the stadium in the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) due to strict health safety protocols imposed due to the current Covid-19 pandemic.
It has also been learnt that this will be the first edition in which the franchise will not need to hold a press conference before the match. However, it will be mandatory to have a virtual media conference after each match.
“The Dream11 Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 is being held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Owing to the health and safety concerns, media personnel will not have access to the stadium to cover the games or team practice sessions,” the BCCI stated in a media release.
“Additionally, this year, owing to the circumstances, there will be no new media registrations barring the UAE media,” the Board further stated, which means only outlets in the gulf can register for official updates.
“The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recognises the high interest in the league and will facilitate virtual post-match press conferences after each match to the media,” it added.
Journalists currently registered with the BCCI will continue to receive press releases and regular updates before and after each match. These press releases will contain information about the process of joining a virtual press conference after the match and sending questions to team representatives during match days.
The BCCI will also provide 35 photographs per match to these recognized media and will remain so throughout the tournament. The images must be used for editorial purposes and be credited with BCCI/IPL on every platform.
“The images must be used for editorial purposes and be credited with BCCI/IPL on every platform,” it said in its release.