[www.inewsguyana.com] – The International Cricket Council (ICC) has stated that it has no authority to get involved in the cricket impasse which has been ongoing since 2011, between the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), Guyana Government (GOG) and other GCB detractors.
This revelation was made in an exclusive iNews Sport correspondence with ICC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dave Richardson and ICC Media and Communications Manager, Sami Ul-Hasan.
They were asked to comment on the situation after conflicting reports in Guyana Chronicle, Times and Kaieteur Newspapers in recent days as to whether President Donald Ramotar had indeed assented to the Cricket Administration Bill.
“I would first note that the issues concerning Guyana are a matter for the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) not the ICC. Guyana is not a Member of the ICC, rather it is a member of the WICB. It is therefore a domestic matter which falls within the jurisdiction of the WICB. The ICC has no authority to get involved in domestic matters.
“The ICC Constitution is therefore also not relevant, as it solely governs the relationship between the ICC and its Members, which, as I have stated above, Guyana is not one. The ICC therefore does not have any authority under which it can intervene in the situation in Guyana,” Ul-Hasan speaking on behalf of Richardson and the ICC said.
The WICB for the last three years has consistently said in its handling of the Guyana situation, that it’s an ICC position to not tolerate government intervention in sport. Even in the Cricket Administration Bill, the Guyana government made it clear that they are not trying to interfere with the GCB in such a manner.
On a global scale, the ICC has not been clear on its stance on government intervention. Governments have intervened regularly in Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh cricket in the last decade. Former ICC President Allan Isaac is also on record stating in November 2012, stating that the ICC was “reviewing its anti-government stance”.
iNews asked if the WICB had possibly misinterpreted the ICC constitution, by mentioning the ICC’s stance against government intervention is their domestic matter. The ICC potentially contradicted itself with their response.
“The principle that the ICC is against unwanted government interference in sport is correct. The WICB is merely saying that, like the ICC, it too is also against such interference and is following the ICC’s example in this regard by prohibiting such interference in a domestic context,” Ul-Hasan.
Guyana’s cricket problems is nowhere near close to being resolved despite the high level WICB delegation headed by Vice President Emmanuel Nanthan visiting Guyana in June, without speaking to the Guyana media.
In a June 10 WICB press release, it was claimed that their visit had paved the way for the anticipated resolution to all outstanding matters, with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to be signed.
In recent months, the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) was locked in another court battle with the GCB. Controversial GCB Secretary Anand Sanasie was quoted in the media celebrating winning that court battle.
According to Sanasie, the GCB is open to reconciliation with the BCB and they have been pictured donating cash to clubs in Berbice, Linden and Essequibo in the last month.
