How the system let down Rajyavardhan Hangargekar

Rajyavardhan Hangargekar was the local hero just a few days ago. The 140 kmph tearaway bowler from the Indian U19 World Cup winning team, bought for Rs 1.5 crore by Chennai Super Kings, could do no wrong.

Today though, people think he has let Indian cricket down by falsifying his age. I disagree with them. I think Rajyavardhan did nothing wrong. It was not his mistake. At the U14, U15 levels, you are dealing with young kids not mature enough to take decisions for themselves. This fiasco is the fault of his coaches, his family. The country's sports ecosystem has let him down and let down so many other genuine U19 athletes who deserved better.

Of course, this cloud of age fudging hanging over our sporting structure is hardly restricted to cricket alone. It is happening across the country. It affects the sanctity and integrity of all sports. So many genuine athletes face a roadblock in their career because an undeserving overage player is taking up their place.

How the Hangargekar investigation unfolded

A few days ago, the Maharshtra sports department got a complaint from a few players playing local cricket leagues that Rajyavardhan Hangargekar was actually 21 years old and not 19. With much disappointment, we began an investigation. Our worst fears were confirmed over the next few days.

Our investigation found that Rajyavardhan had his correct age entered in the school certificate in the school where he studied till Class 7, but when he enrolled in a different school in Class 8, his birth date was forwarded by almost two years.

While the certificate from his first school says he was born on January 7, 2001, the certificate which the headmaster of Terna Public School helped change before admitting him in Class 8 has his date of birth as November 10, 2002.

We have submitted all these details along with evidence to the BCCI. Now it is up to them to take action, our work is done. Needless to say we have no agenda against Rajyavardhan, we hope he has a long and successful career.

How can we make sure nothing like this ever happens again?

The BCCI currently uses the TW3 method to determine the age of all players participating in U-16-level tournaments. This method involves determining the bone age of a person from an X-ray image of a person's left wrist. But this method has enough rooms for cases to slip through. If someone is overage by 5-6 months, the bone test cannot catch the discrepancy. It is not very sacrosanct.

BCCI and all sporting bodies should make it mandatory for all players to submit a 'Copy of General Register of First Standard of School', which is permanent. This is still not done. Just a bone test is not good enough. The bone test should be accompanied by mandatory proof of documents like Aadhar and passport, and the general certificate from schools.

(The author is the Sports Commissioner in the Maharashtra Department Of Youth, Sports & Services and the complainant to the BCCI in Hangargekar's case)