The Competition Commission of India (CCI) passed an order dated 03.06.2022 under the provisions of Section 27 of the Competition Act, 2002 (‘Act’) against Amateur Baseball Federation of India (ABFI), finding it to be in violation of the provisions of Section 4 of the Act, which proscribe abuse of dominance.

The case was initiated on the basis of Information filed by the Confederation of Professional Baseball Softball Clubs (CPBSC) under Section 19(1)(a) of the Act, against ABFI alleging inter alia contravention of the provisions of Section 4 of the Act. As per information, ABFI by way of communications dated 07.01.2021 sent to its affiliated State Baseball Associations requested them not to entertain unrecognized bodies and not allow state level players to participate in any of the tournaments organised by them.

Based on evidence on record, the Commission found ABFI to be in a dominant position in the relevant market of organization of baseball leagues/events/ tournaments in India and further ABFI by issuing communication dated 07.01.2021 to its affiliated State Baseball Associations, was found to have contravened the provisions of Sections (4)(2)(a)(i),4(2)(b)(i), and 4(2)(c) of the Act. In this backdrop, the Commission issued a cease and desist order against ABFI, however, the Commission refrained from imposing any monetary penalty considering ABFI has already withdrawn the impugned letter, and to that extent. The necessary market correction has already taken place.

The order was passed in Case No. 03 of 2021 and a copy of the order is available on the CCI website at www.cci.gov.in

Abuse of dominance in sports governance found, prompting a cease-and-desist directive to stop exclusionary communications. The Commission found a national baseball federation dominant in the market for organisation of baseball leagues, events and tournaments and held that a communication directing affiliated state associations not to engage with unrecognised bodies amounted to exclusionary conduct in breach of prohibitions on abuse of dominance; a cease-and-desist direction was issued and no monetary penalty was imposed after the federation withdrew the communication and the regulator considered the market correction achieved.