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regular-article-logo Saturday, 04 May 2024

T20 World Cup: Privacy posers over ‘guided tour’ of room

Virat Kohli has put out on social media a video that he alleged revealed a breach of privacy at his hotel room in Perth

Our Special Correspondent Calcutta Published 01.11.22, 04:12 AM
Virat Kohli.

Virat Kohli. File picture

Virat Kohli has put out on social media a video that he alleged revealed a breach of privacy at his hotel room in Perth.

While Kohli did not say when the incident took place, it is learnt that it happened during India’s preparatory camp in Perth ahead of the T20 World Cup.

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The hotel, Crown Towers, has since apologised and said “the individuals involved have been stood down and removed from the Crown account”.

Kohli posted the video on Instagram after India’s loss to South Africa in Perth on Sunday. The video, which had been originally uploaded on TikTok, gives viewers a walkthrough of the room and is captioned “King Kohli’s hotel room”.

The hotel’s statement indicates it could have been an inside job. Else, it’s difficult to explain how one or more persons could have entered a room of a cricketer since the players’ floor is generally out of bounds for the public. Strict security is maintained round the clock and the identity of those entering and leaving the floor is scrutinised.

The BCCI hasn’t lodged a formal complaint but the ICC said it was “incredibly disappointed by the gross invasion of privacy” that Kohli suffered. The ICC has asked the authorities concerned to ensure all security protocols are properly implemented.

“I understand that fans get very happy and excited seeing their favourite players and get excited to meet them and I’ve always appreciated that,” Kohli wrote in his post on Instagram. “But this video here is appalling and it’s made me feel very paranoid about my privacy. If I cannot have privacy in my own hotel room, then where can I really expect any personal space at all?? I’m NOT okay with this kind of fanaticism and absolute invasion of privacy. Please respect people’s privacy and not treat them as a commodity for entertainment.”

The hotel said it was treating the incident seriously. “We unreservedly apologise to the guest involved and will continue to take the necessary steps to ensure this remains an isolated incident,” the hotel management said. “Crown has taken immediate steps to rectify the issue. The individuals involved have been stood down and removed from our account. Crown is conducting an investigation...”

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