Riyan Parag, the captain of Rajasthan Royals, was vaping in the dressing room during an IPL 2026 game with Punjab Kings, and this has been caught by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) who has taken disciplinary action against him. It was filmed by a live broadcast and immediately became viral on social media, evoking much criticism both among fans and experts.
After the backlash, the BCCI held Parag guilty of the violation of the IPL Code of Conduct and fined him. The young skipper has received a Level 1 offence fine of 25 per cent of his match fee, and 1 point of a demerit. In the official statement, he had breached Article 2.21 which refers to actions that can bring the game into disrepute.
The incident is believed to have happened in the second half of the game where Parag was caught on camera smoking a vape device in the dressing room. This should not be done according to the rules of the stadiums since one cannot smoke or vape in a closed space, including in a team dressing room.
Parag admitted that he had committed the offence and was fined by the referee of the match, Amit Sharma. It was also confirmed that he has received a formal warning, where he was requested to ensure that he keeps to higher standards of conduct in the future.
The scandal has diverted the focus to the performance on the field by Rajasthan Royals and the issue of discipline and professionalism. The BCCI re-emphasized the spirit of the game and it is expected that players will be responsible on and off the field.