The recent incident involving
Sir Allen Stanford and the British Wives and Girlfriends (WAGs) has brewed a new round of controversies. Although the matter is officially buried now, there are a lot of questions that are cropping up and need to be answered.
The Texas businessman, better known as the man behind the multi-million Stanford Super Series currently being held in Antigua found himself in a mess because of his “colorful” antics while the England team played Middlesex on Sunday. The 58-going-on-28 self-promoting billionaire was seen flirting with the WAGs of the English cricketers in the players’ balcony. English players are no American or Brazilian footballers, so they naturally took an offence to the whole deal. Stanford, followed by his personal cameraman was filmed seating English wicketkeeper Matt Prior’s pregnant wife on his lap and arm around Alistair Campbell’s girlfriend. This was displayed with extraordinary interest on the big screens in the ground and left the players shocked and embarrassed.
Stanford has personally apologized to Matt Prior and English Captain Kevin Pietersen and the players have accepted his apology. The players were initially stunned but nobody really wants to spoil their chances of pocketing a million each. One unnamed England player told a newspaper, “If that was my wife and he put her in his lap I would have wanted to punch him.”
England and Wales Cricket board (ECB) will now conduct a review into the development of event and Mr. Stanford’s flagrant conduct is known to be one of the major reasons behind it.
However, Stanford claims innocence on his part. He told the media, "I had no idea who they were. If I knew they were related in any way, shape or form to the English cricket team I would have said a polite hello and left." He admits that he went where the women were sitting for some spicy footage. Since he had no space to sit, one of the “girls” got up and vacated her seat for him. "We all said at the same time 'Go England' and put our hands up. The girl who was stood up plopped down on my knee.
I didn't put her on my knee or sit here on my knee, she just plopped down ,” he added.
Stanford’s account of events pretty much shows his nonchalance about the issue. He was seen enjoying himself thoroughly and the women were allegedly reserved about turning down his advances keeping in mind the $1 million each their men could bring home by winning this series. The whole drama has served his purpose of gaining the publicity he seeks desperately. Fooling around with random women might be fun for the American billionaire but cricket is new to such stuff. The advent of T20 in cricket has shown the game the football way. Big bucks, quick games, cheerleaders capable of pumping excitement even in a test and loads of glamour have given a turnaround to the cricket we have known. Players, sponsors, audiences, broadcasters: everyone loves the moolah.
Sadly, money has overshadowed all other aspects of the game.
Stanford’s demeanor was allowed and then apologized because of the astronomic sum at stake . Businessmen like Stanford and Vijay Mallya in IPL cannot help the cause of the game. Cricket is not just playing the game now; it is winning the cash on offer.
