Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag has been fined with 25 per cent of his match fee after he was caught on camera vaping inside the team dressing room during an IPL 2026 match. The incident was seen on camera vaping during a match between Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Punjab Kings in Mullanpur. 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. Riyan admitted the offence and accepted the punishment. He was seen using vape during the second innings inside the dressing room. The video surfaced on social media soon. Riyan’s actions drew criticism on social media.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is also exploring options to impose punishment against RR, its players and its officials to maintain the reputation of IPL. The punishment has not yet been decided. The government of India had banned e-cigarettes in 2019, prohibiting their production, sale and distribution. If a person breaches the law, they may face imprisonment of up to one year and/or a fine of Rs 1 lakh for a first-time offence. 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.
