Indian Premier League (IPL) broadcaster, Star Sports refuted claims of broadcasting any private conversation involving Rohit Sharma, following the Indian cricket captain's accusations of privacy breach.
Rohit Sharma had raised concerns after a video, featuring him and Kolkata Knight Riders' assistant coach Abhishek Nayar, discussing his future at Mumbai Indians, went viral on May 11.
Although Kolkata Knight Riders later removed the video from their social media platforms.
Subsequently, on May 16, during Mumbai Indians' match against Lucknow Super Giants, Rohit Sharma was observed requesting the broadcaster to mute the audio as cameras focused on him once again.
However, on Sunday, Rohit Sharma accused the channel of broadcasting his private conversation, which Star Sports promptly refuted in a statement.
Star Sports clarified, "The clip, captured during a training session at Wankhede Stadium on May 16, with authorised access, briefly captured the senior player conversing with friends on the sidelines. No audio from this interaction was recorded or aired."
The channel further explained that the clip, which only displayed Rohit Sharma's request to refrain from recording audio, was included in their live coverage of pre-match preparations, lacking editorial significance beyond this.
Rohit Sharma had previously emphasised the importance of exercising restraint when recording on-field moments, cautioning against prioritizing exclusive content over respect for privacy.
"The need for exclusive content and focusing solely on views and engagement may one day erode the trust between fans, cricketers, and cricket. Let better judgment prevail," Rohit Sharma remarked.
Star Sports asserted its commitment to safeguarding players' privacy, emphasizing the importance of respecting their personal space while delivering engaging content to fans.
"Maintaining respect for players' privacy while presenting moments of intense action and preparation is fundamental to our approach, which the broadcaster remains steadfastly dedicated to," the channel affirmed.
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