IPL Honey Trap Alert: Alarmed BCCI Issues Stern Warning To Teams – Here’s What We Know

The BCCI introduced strict new security rules for the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, banning unauthorised visitors from entering the hotel rooms of players, support staff and team officials after multiple incidents of “misconduct and protocol violation”. The Anti-Corruption Unit warned the franchises about the risks, including “honey trapping” and security threats.

In an advisory sent to all ten IPL franchises, the BCCI made it mandatory for guests to obtain written approval from team managers before accessing the players’ or officials’ rooms.

“The advisory has been issued in light of certain incidents observed during ongoing season,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia wrote to franchise CEOs, “and is intended to reinforce the standards of professionalism, discipline, security awareness and protocol compliance expected from all stakeholders associated with IPL.”

Saikia further warned that such incidents can harm the IPL’s reputation and expose the players and franchises to “legal liability and security risks of serious nature”.

BCCI Tightens IPL Security Protocols

The BCCI said that some players and support staff had allowed unauthorised individuals into hotel rooms without informing team management, with some managers “entirely unaware of the presence of such visitors”.

While prohibiting the practice “with immediate effect”, the BCCI warned franchises about the dangers of “targeted compromise and honey trapping” and said such situations could lead to “serious legal allegations”.

All IPL teams have been instructed to follow a revised Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the rest of the tournament.

Owners Under New Restrictions

The new IPL guidelines also prevent players and support staff from leaving team hotels at “irregular hours” without informing the designated Security Liaison Officer (SLO) and Team Integrity Officer (TIO).

The BCCI informed that periodic checks may be conducted by the IPL Operations Team, with breaches leading to possible fines, suspension or disqualification of the player or the official involved.

The advisory also mentioned violations by unnamed franchise owners, accusing them of breaching Players’ and Match Officials Access (PMOA) protocols. As a result, owners are now banned from interacting with players during matches.