Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Riyan Parag, captain of Rajasthan Royals, has been fined 25 per cent of his match fee and handed one demerit point for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during IPL 2026 match between Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings.The sanction relates to a Level 1 offence under Article 2.21, which covers “conduct that brings the game into disrepute.” The breach occurred during the second innings of the match in Mullanpur, when Parag was seen vaping inside the dressing room during the live broadcast.“Riyan was found to have breached Article 2.21 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct, which relates to “conduct that brings the game into disrepute.” The incident occurred during the second innings when Riyan was seen using a vape inside the dressing room,” an IPL media advisory stated. Parag admitted to the offence and accepted the punishment imposed by match referee Amit Sharma. As per IPL regulations, a Level 1 offence carries a fine of 25 per cent of the match fee along with one demerit point, with no formal hearing required.The incident came to the notice of officials after video evidence surfaced, following which on-field umpires Tanmay Srivastava and Nitin Menon reported the matter, as reported by PTI. The IPL media advisory further added that the BCCI is also ‘exploring other options to initiate proceedings for stringent action against the erring team, its officials and player/s to ensure that the reputation of IPL remains intact.Parag’s actions drew criticism on social media, especially given that e-cigarettes are banned in India under a 2019 law that prohibits their production, sale and use.
