India cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been asked to remove military insignia from his wicketkeeping gloves during the Cricket World Cup.
Dhoni is an honorary lieutenant colonel of India’s territorial army special forces – just the second Indian cricketer to receive this honor – and during his side’s opening victory against South Africa, sported their dagger logo on his gloves.
Only manufacturers’ logos are allowed on wicketkeeping gloves, according to guidelines set by the sport’s governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Although the ICC says the insignia flaunts regulations, it stresses Dhoni will face no penalty.
Indian Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju has asked the Indian cricket board (BCCI) to intervene on Dhoni’s behalf.
“The government does not interfere in matters of sports bodies, they are autonomous,” he said on Twitter.
“But when the issue is related to the feelings of the country, then the interest of the nation has to be kept in mind. I urge the BCCI to take appropriate steps in the Mahendra Singh Dhoni gloves case.”
The issue has become high profile in India, with the hashtag #DhoniKeepTheGlove trending on social media.
Vinod Rai, the head of Indian cricket’s Committee of Administrators, said Dhoni “is not in breach of ICC regulations.”
“The BCCI had already sent a formal request to the ICC for clearance,” he told Press Trust of India.
“As per ICC regulations, players can’t sport any commercial, religious or military logo. There was nothing commercial or religious in this regard as we all know.
“And it is not the paramilitary regimental dagger that is embossed in his gloves.”
Later on Friday, the ICC issued a statement saying it had responded to the BCCI “to confirm the logo displayed by MS Dhoni in the previous match is not permitted to be worn on his wicket-keeping gloves at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019.
“The regulations for ICC events do not permit any individual message or logo to be displayed on any items of clothing or equipment. In addition to this, the logo also breaches the regulations in relation to what is permitted on wicketkeeper gloves.”
This isn’t the first time Dhoni has been criticized for “politicizing” sport.
In March, shortly after an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed more than 40 paramilitaries, he distributed military-style camouflage caps to his Indian teammates who wore them during an international game.
The BCCI wouldn’t respond to CNN for comment.
