Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag has been fined 25 per cent of his match fee and also given one demerit point after he was seen using a vape inside the dressing room during an IPL 2026 match against Punjab Kings in New Chandigarh.

Riyan Parag fined

In a statement released on Thursday, the IPL said that Parag accepted he had broken a Level 1 rule under the league’s Code of Conduct. This rule deals with actions that can damage the image of the game. The incident happened during the Rajasthan Royals’ run chase, when cameras showed him vaping in the dressing room. The visuals quickly spread online and led to strong reactions from fans and others connected to the IPL.

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“The incident happened during the second innings when Riyan was seen using a vape inside the dressing room. Riyan admitted to the offence and accepted the sanction imposed by the Match Referee, Amit Sharma,” the IPL statement said.

How Riyan Parag's Clip went viral

It is believed that after the footage came to light, on-field umpires Tanmay Srivastava and Nitin Menon reported the matter to match referee Amit Sharma. While the IPL rules do not clearly mention vaping, they do expect players to behave properly in dressing rooms and other team areas.

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The IPL also hinted that more action could be taken against Rajasthan Royals. “The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is also exploring other options to initiate proceedings for stringent action against the erring team, its officials and player/s to ensure that the reputation of IPL remains intact,” the statement added.

“Article 2.21 is intended to cover all types of conduct that bring the game into disrepute and which is not specifically and adequately covered by the specific offences set out elsewhere in this Code of Conduct, including Article 2.20.

“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.

“When assessing the seriousness of the offence, the context of the particular situation, and whether it was deliberate, reckless, negligent, avoidable and/or accidental, shall be considered. Further, the person lodging the Report shall determine where on the range of severity the conduct lays (with the range of severity starting at conduct of a minor nature (and hence a Level 1 Offence) up to conduct of an extremely serious nature (and hence a Level 4 Offence)),” says the IPL Code of Conduct on breach of Article 2.21.

Indian Laws for vaping and e-cigarettes 

Under Indian law, vaping and e-cigarettes are banned through the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act (PECA) 2019. The law does not allow the making, selling, buying, importing, exporting, or advertising of such products. Breaking this law can lead to jail time and fines.

Earlier this season, Rajasthan Royals team manager Romi Bhinder was also fined Rs 1 lakh and warned for using a mobile phone in the dugout during a match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Guwahati.

Rajasthan Royals will next play against Delhi Capitals at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Friday.