MAV seeks probe into Riyan Parag vaping visuals during IPL

MUMBAI: A puff of controversy has drifted onto the pitch and it’s refusing to clear anytime soon. Mothers Against Vaping (MAV), a collective of concerned parents, has called for a formal inquiry after visuals from an IPL 2026 broadcast appeared to show Rajasthan Royals cricketer Riyan Parag holding a vape-like device during a match against Punjab Kings.

The group has raised concerns over the incident’s visibility on national television, arguing that it risks normalising a category of products that is explicitly banned in India. Under the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019, the production, sale, distribution and even possession of e-cigarettes can attract penalties ranging from fines of up to Rs 50,000 and imprisonment of up to six months, to stricter punishments including fines of up to Rs 1 lakh and jail terms of up to one year for broader violations.

MAV has also pushed back against claims that vaping in indoor settings may fall into a regulatory “grey zone”, calling such interpretations misleading. The Union Health Ministry has previously clarified that possession of e-cigarettes in any form violates the law.

While the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has acknowledged the matter and indicated it will seek an explanation, MAV said no formal notice has yet been issued. The group has urged the board to adopt a zero-tolerance approach, particularly given cricket’s vast young viewership.

The collective also invoked Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2019 remarks, where he described e-cigarettes as a “new way of intoxication” and cautioned against their glamorisation. According to MAV, any appearance of such devices around high-visibility public figures risks sending the wrong message to impressionable audiences.

Raising broader questions, the group has called for clarity on whether the incident was inadvertent or part of a larger pattern of normalising banned products, especially amid ongoing debates and reported lobbying around vaping devices in India.

MAV added that if there was no intent to promote such products, Parag should cooperate fully with any inquiry. “No public figure can claim a different standard from the law,” the group noted.

As the IPL continues to command millions of viewers, the episode has spotlighted a larger issue, in a game watched as closely as cricket, even a fleeting visual can carry a long-lasting message.