NEW DELHI: Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag has been fined 25 per cent of his match fee and handed over one point for violating the IPL Code of Conduct during the IPL 2026 match between Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings.The sanction is for a Level 1 offense under Article 2.21, which includes “conduct that brings the game into disrepute”. The breach occurred during the second innings of the match in Mullanpur when Parag was seen vaping live in the dressing room.“Riyan was found to have breached Article 2.21 of the IPL Code of Conduct, which deals with ‘conduct which brings the game into disrepute.’ The incident occurred during the second innings when Riyan was spotted using a vape inside the dressing room,” the IPL media advisor said. Parag pleaded guilty and accepted the punishment imposed by match referee Amit Sharma. Under IPL regulations, a level 1 offense is fined 25 percent of the match fee along with one demerit point without the need for a formal hearing.Officials came to know about the incident after video footage surfaced after which on-field umpires Tanmay Srivastava and Nitin Menon reported the matter, as reported by PTI. The IPL media advisory further added that the BCCI is also “exploring other options to initiate strict action proceedings against the erring team, its officials and players to ensure that the reputation of the IPL remains intact.”Paraga’s actions drew criticism on social media, especially since e-cigarettes are banned in India under a 2019 law that bans their manufacture, sale and use.
