BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur, who is also a Lok Sabha MP, has introduced the ‘National Sports Ethics Commission’ Bill which recommends a 10-year jail term for sportspersons found indulging in match-fixing.

According to a report in The Tribune, it is a significant step considering the BCCI has been rocked by quite a few match-fixing scandals, the latest being the one that surfaced in the 2013 IPL. The scandal led to the arrest of three cricketers, including former India pacer S Sreesanth.

“As such there is no law to curb match-fixing. It is absolutely mandatory to have a law that can combat the menace,” said Thakur.

The bill seeks “to establish a national sports ethics body to ensure ethical practices in sports, as well as measures towards the elimination of doping practices, match-fixing, age fraud, gender and sexual harassment in sports.”

According to a report in the Business Standard, the Bill also proposes a jail time of six months as well as a fine of Rs 1 lakh for cases of fraud of age or gender. Besides, the bill recommends setting up of a 'National Sports Ethics Commission', consisting of judges and eminent sportspersons, which would frame guidelines and rules to help sports bodies to ensure ethical practices.