IPL 2026: RR skipper Parag fined 25 cent match fee, handed demerit point for vaping inside dressing room
New Delhi, April 30 (IANS/WISHAVWARTA) Rajasthan Royals (RR) skipper Riyan Parag has been fined 25 percent of his match fee and handed a demerit point after being caught using a vape inside the dressing room during the IPL 2026 match against Punjab Kings in New Chandigarh.
A statement from the IPL on Thursday said Parag admitted to breaching Level 1 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct, which covers ‘conduct that brings the game into disrepute.’ The incident occurred during RR’s successful chase when cameras captured him vaping in the dressing room, leading to huge outrage on social media and in the IPL ecosystem.
“The incident occurred during the second innings when Riyan was seen using a vape inside the dressing room. Riyan admitted to the offence and accepted the sanction imposed by the Match Referee, Amit Sharma,” further said the statement from the IPL.
It is understood that after Parag’s visuals of using the vape were brought to the attention of the authorities, on-field umpires Tanmay Srivastava and Nitin Menon reported the matter to match referee Sharma. The IPL’s code does not explicitly mention vaping but stresses maintaining decorum in dressing rooms and player areas.
The statement also said a process of taking a strict action on RR is also on the cards. “The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is also exploring other options to initiate proceedings for stringent action against the erring team, its officials and player/s to ensure that the reputation of IPL remains intact,” it further said.
“Article 2.21 is intended to cover all types of conduct that bring the game into disrepute and which is not specifically and adequately covered by the specific offences set out elsewhere in this Code of Conduct, including Article 2.20.
“By way of example, Article 2.21 may (depending upon the seriousness and context of the breach) prohibit, without limitation, the following: (a) public acts of misconduct; (b) unruly public behaviour; and (c) inappropriate comments which are detrimental to the interests of the game.
“When assessing the seriousness of the offence, the context of the particular situation, and whether it was deliberate, reckless, negligent, avoidable and/or accidental, shall be considered. Further, the person lodging the Report shall determine where on the range of severity the conduct lays (with the range of severity starting at conduct of a minor nature (and hence a Level 1 Offence) up to conduct of an extremely serious nature (and hence a Level 4 Offence)),” says the IPL Code of Conduct on breach of Article 2.21.
As per the Indian legislation, vaping or the use of e-cigarettes is illegal under The Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act (PECA) 2019. The Act prohibits the production, sale, purchase, import, export and advertisement of e-cigarettes and vapes in India, and any violations lead to imprisonment and hefty fines.
Previously, RR team manager Romi Bhinder was fined Rs 1 Lakh and given a stern warning for using a mobile phone in the dugout during a clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Guwahati. RR will next face Delhi Capitals at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Friday.
