Govt withdraws customs concessions provided to BCCI

New Delhi, Jan 17 (PTI) The government today withdrewcustoms duty exemption on import of goods by the BCCI orbodies certified by it following non-compliance of mandatoryrequirements.

This follows the Sports Ministry de-recognising BCCIas a national sports federation or the apex body for cricketin India.

The move comes ahead of the World Cup which will beco-hosted by the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI)from February 19.

"...it is informed that henceforth BCCI would not beeligible to avail itself of duty exemption under notificationno 21/2002 customs dated 1.3.2002 or any other customsnotification.

"Thus goods imported by BCCI or certified by BCCI forimport are not entitled to any exemption benefit which isavailable to sports goods or equipment or consumables importedor certified by a National Sports Federation (NSF) or Apexbody," Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) said in acircular.

The decision, according to Deloitte India Indirect Taxleader Prashant Deshpande, "is a setback to the stakeholdersassociated with the forthcoming World Cup proposed to bestaged in India who would now be visited with a customs dutyburden of up to 26.85 per cent on sports requisites".

The circular said that the concessions were withdrawnas BCCI did not submit the necessary documents to the Ministryof Youth Affairs and Sports.

"The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has informedthat the BCCI has not complied with the mandatory requirementsof submitting the necessary documents to the Government forannual recognition as a National Sports Federation (NSF) /ApexBody for the game of cricket in India", the circular added.

In view of the non-compliance, the BCCI would cease tobe a NSF or the apex body for cricket with immediate effect,it added.

India along with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka isorganising the ICC World Cup Cricket 2011 which is beingco-hosted by BCCI.