The West Indies’ World Cup participation fees may be reallocated to the BCCI
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
The West Indies are in danger of being suspended from the International Cricket Council (ICC) after they recently pulled out midway through their tour of India.
The national team decided to leave since they are currently embroiled in a pay dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA).
Clause 2.7 of the ICC’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association suggests that if the West Indies have “fail[ed] to fulfil any of its financial obligations”, “fail[ed] to comply with any of its membership obligations”, or “act[ed] in such a way as shall be deemed by the Executive Board to bring the game of cricket into disrepute”, then “the Executive Board shall be entitled to suspend that Member with immediate effect”.
Since the fifth ODI, one-off Twenty20 International and three-Test series was cancelled, the West Indies could see their 2015 World Cup participation fees be reallocated to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
“The International Cricket Council said on Wednesday it was concerned with the dispute between the Board of Control for Cricket in India and the West Indies Cricket Board, and was closely monitoring the developments arising from the recently cancelled tour of India,” an ICC statement said. “The ICC hopes that the matter will be resolved amicably, but clarified that, unless the matter is otherwise referred to it, it does not have the power to intervene in disputes resulting from a bilateral FTP tour.”
While the BCCI have not mentioned whether they will seek to claim damages for the series being cut short, they have made it clear that they intend to take legal action against the WICB.
It is understood that if the BCCI decides to lodge a claim for damages, the WICB may have to pay up to $65 million.
The ICC Members’ Agreement (clause 7.6 under sub-heading Non-Compliance) states that “where…an Offending Party notified of compensation payable by it fails to pay the same in full…then such payment may be made to the Compliant party concerned by ICC out of such monies as may otherwise become due to the Offending Party whether out of its share of revenues arising out of the ICC Cricket World Cup or other ICC events.”