Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag has been fined 25% of his match fee by the BCCI for vaping inside the dressing room during an IPL match, breaching the Code of Conduct. The incident has sparked debate on social media over lenient punishment and consistency with comparisons to other IPL disciplinary cases this season.
Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain Riyan Parag was penalised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct after being found guilty of vaping inside the dressing room during the clash against the Punjab Kings in Mullanpur on April 28.
Though RR defeated PBKS by six wickets to register their sixth win of the season, the victory was overshadowed by an off-field incident involving Riyan Parag, who was caught using an e-cigarette after the broadcast camera captured him inside the dressing room while sitting with Dhruv Jurel and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Since the PMOA (Players and Match Officials Area) protocol prohibits smoking and the use of e-cigarettes within designated areas, Riyan Parag was caught at the centre of controversy for violating the IPL Code of Conduct, with the incident sparking debate on player discipline, with fans divided over professionalism and standards in the IPL.
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Riyan Parag Fined 25% Of His Match Fee
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has taken action against Riyan Parag for violating the IPL Code of Conduct, handing the Rajasthan Royals skipper a 25% match fee fine after being found guilty of using a vape inside the dressing room.
According to the statement released by IPL, Parag has breached the Level 1 offence and thus been handed 25% match fee fine as well as one demerit point, adding that his off-field conduct has brought ‘disrepute to the game.’
“Riyan Parag, Captain, Rajasthan Royals, has been fined 25% of his match fee and has also accumulated one Demerit Point for breaching Level 1 of the IPL's Code of Conduct for Players and Team Officials during Match No. 40 of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 against Punjab Kings." IPL statement reads.
"Riyan was found to have breached Article 2.21 of the IPL's Code of Conduct, which relates to "conduct that brings the game into disrepute. The incident occurred during the second innings when Riyan was seen using a vape inside the dressing room," the statement added.
Riyan Parag has admitted to the offence and accepted the sanction imposed by match referee Amit Sharma. He will reportedly pay INR 25 lakh as a fine, which amounts to 25% of his INR 1 crore match fee from his INR 14 crore seasonal contract. This marks Parag’s first offence under the IPL Code of Conduct this season.
Fans Question BCCI’s Leniency Over Parag Penalty
Riyan Parag’s vaping incident inside the dressing room was expected to impose a match ban or suspension for many fans and observers, but surprisingly, the Rajasthan Royals skipper was only handed a 25% of his match fee, which sparked a massive reaction on social media, especially X (formerly Twitter).
Taking to their X handles, fans and cricket enthusiasts criticised the apparent inconsistencies in the IPL penalty, with many questioning the BCCI’s leniency and comparing it to the harsher fines for on-field celebrations, raising concerns over double standards in punishing the players.
Others also questioned the broader handling of such breaches, with fans debating whether the off-field conduct inside restricted team areas is being treated too lightly compared to visible on-field incidents, leading to renewed discussion around consistency in enforcing discipline across different situations in IPL.
Meanwhile, 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.
This was another breach by the Rajasthan Royals after its manager, Romi Bhinder, was caught using a phone in the dugout, for which he was fined INR 1 lakh and warned by the match officials for violating IPL match regulations during the game.
