No visitors in hotel rooms, no interaction with owners, no vapes: BCCI strict new rule for IPL teams

IPL 2026: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has issued an advisory to the 10 Indian Premier League (IPL) teams. Among the rules, BCCI has asked team members to not allow unauthorised visitors inside their rooms, meet owners of their teams, and prohibited vapes. 

The potential "honey traps, legal liability and security risks" were flagged by the BCCI’s anti-corruption unit as part of the ‘misconduct and protocol violations’ assessment. 

The BCCI has said written authorisation from the team managers are mandatory for guests to access players and officials’ rooms.  

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said the advisory has been issued in light of ‘certain incidents’ that were observed during the ongoing season. He said the advisory is intended to “reinforce the standards of professionalism, discipline, security awareness and protocol compliance expected from all stakeholders associated with IPL”. 

MUST READ | Steel tycoon to IPL power player: Who is Lakshmi Mittal, billionaire behind the Rajasthan Royals deal?

"It has come to the attention of the BCCI that certain incidents of misconduct and protocol violation have occurred involving players, support staff and team officials during the course of the current IPL season. These incidents, if left unaddressed, carry the potential to cause significant reputational harm to the tournament, the franchise concerned and the BCCI as the Governing Body,” said Saikia in a communication to the CEOs of the franchises.

The board noted that certain players and support staff members permitted unauthorised persons to access their hotel rooms without the knowledge or approval of the concerned team manager. The players and support staff have now been given a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).

The board pointed out that in cases of unauthorised visitors the “possibility of incidents giving rise to serious legal allegations, including those under applicable Indian laws on sexual misconduct cannot be discounted”. 

Players and support staff have also been asked to not leave the team hotels at ‘irregular hours’ without informing their Security Liaison Officer (SLO) and Team Integrity Officer (TIO). Saikia said periodic checks might also be conducted by the BCCI or the IPL. 

DON'T MISS | RR sold for ₹15,660 crore: After $18 billion valuation, IPL continues to mint money

The board said unspecified team owners have not maintained the sanctity of Players' And Match Officials Access (PMOA). "Specifically, instances have been observed of IPL franchise owners attempting to communicate with, approach, hug, or otherwise physically interact with players during live match situations. Such conduct, however well-intentioned, directly contravenes established protocol and may constitute interference with team dynamics and match proceedings," the Board asserted.

"IPL franchise owners and their representatives are strictly prohibited from communicating with or physically accessing players or team officials in the dugout, dressing room or playing area during the course of the match, except through designated and approved channels,” it said.

The board also said that vapes and  electronic cigarettes were prohibited under Indian law, and anyone violating such conduct may also be committing a cognisable offence under applicable statutory framework. Just recently, Rajasthan Royals skipper Riyan Parag was seen vaping in the dressing room balcony during a match.