India might be stripped from hosting World Cup 2023 amidst a major controversy – Reports

With regard to the 2023 World Cup, the Indian Cricket Board is having difficulties. The Indian board is engaged in combat on two fronts at once. The Indian Cricket Board is at odds with the Indian government over tax matters while the Pakistan Cricket Board is criticising them over other issues. The Apex Cricket Council has given the Indian Cricket Board the go-ahead to address the taxation. If they are unable to, they may decide to move the World Cup from India.

The tax issue was not resolved by the Indian Cricket Board during the 2016 T20 World Cup, which India previously hosted. The annual share of the Indian Cricket Board was ultimately deducted by Rs 190 crore by the Apex Cricket Council. The tax bill has increased this time to 21.84%, or $116 million (Rs 900 Crore). The Indian Cricket Board may suffer a loss of Rs 900 Cr if it is unable to persuade the Indian government to grant a tax rebate for the World Cup 2023.

“It’s BCCI’s money. If the ICC can’t settle this issue before the World Cup arrives and end up deducting it from India’s revenue share from the ICC, even this will end up in a legal battle,” News18 quoted sources.

What will the government tell its tax-paying citizens?: Source

The host nation is required by the Apex Cricket Council to secure tax breaks from the respective governments. The Indian Board, however, has not taken any action to persuade the government in this regard. Instead, they have asked the international organisation to deduct the sum from their portion of the revenue.

Even though it made a temporary accommodation, the Indian government will be hesitant to provide a full tax rebate. The sole profitable sport in India is cricket, which explains this. The government wouldn’t want the people to pay for that sport as well. “What will the government tell its tax-paying citizens? That the only sport in this country that earns money will be exempt of taxes? How well will that sit? There’s no way the government will say anything on this,” sources told News18.