Rajasthan Royals might have snapped Punjab Kings’ winning streak on Wednesday, but the talk of the town wasn’t the scoreboard; it was Riyan Parag. Despite the high-intensity win, the RR skipper found himself at the centre of a social media firestorm after live cameras caught him vaping in the dressing room.
The footage went viral almost instantly, turning a hard-fought victory into a secondary storyline. While RR walked away with the points, the post-match buzz was dominated by the optics of Parag’s off-field moment, leaving the team’s clinical performance playing second fiddle to the online debate.
The incident occurred in the 16th over of the Rajasthan Royals’ chase, where Parag can be seen smoking a vape.
Parag’s actions have put him in a spot of trouble, with smoking strictly prohibited inside dressing rooms and across stadium premises, except in designated zones. The issue is further complicated by the legal status of e-cigarettes in India. Under the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act (PECA), 2019, the production, sale, purchase, import, export and advertisement of e-cigarettes and vapes are banned. Any violation of the law can attract strict penalties, including imprisonment and substantial fines, making the incident more than just a breach of basic stadium regulations.
The Act came into force on September 18, 2019. One of the key reasons for the ban is that it does not cover products licensed under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.
RR’s Romi Bhinder also fined INR 1 lakh earlier
This isn’t the first time RR have found themselves in the middle of a controversy this season, as earlier this year, manager Romi Bhinder was caught using a mobile phone in the team dugout during their IPL match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
The BCCI anti-corruption unit, led by Sharad Kumar, subsequently showcaused Bhinder and asked for an explanation.
ACU was not happy with the clarification issued by Bhinder, as he was found guilty in the matter and fined INR 1 lakh and given an official warning.
“Romi Bhinder was involved in a protocol violation in the Guwahati match. He was issued a notice under the IPL protocols. He was given 48 hours to explain his position. His explanation came, and we are not very satisfied with it. The Anti-Corruption Unit is not very satisfied with his reply. As it is his first breach, so under the protocols, he was fined an amount of INR 1 lakh and also handed a warning that he needs to be more careful in the future,” Saikia told HT.
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