Sport - Cricket   

Players, ICC stand firm

By G. Viswanath

India's master-batsmen, Sachin Tendulkar has more serious matters to muse about, given the deadlock over an ICC agreement, than knocking around a cricket ball _ an action which comes easily to him! — Photo: N. Sridharan

Leeds Aug. 18. Neither the officialdom nor the players are living without hope.

Both the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the players associations and representatives have taken strong positions and made their stand clear on a contentious and debatable issue.

The ICC, the apex body for cricket, has said that `anti-ambush' marketing regulations would be in place for a period of time when major events like the Champions Trophy and World Cup are held under its aegis and that will have to be strictly adhered to by the players taking part in these two major events to be played between September and March 2003. The players have responded by calling the new regulations `unlawful, unfair and illegal'.

Australia took the lead long ago through the Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) and before the players of the other full members of the ICC could grasp the implications of the regulations that actually takes away their obligation to fulfil commitments with sponsors with whom they have been partners for years.

In between preparing for the final of the NatWest Trophy tri-series and through the first two Tests at Lords and Nottingham, the Indian players had been working overtime perusing the `Players Terms' for the Champions Trophy which they have to sign to enable them to take part in the three-week long tournament in Sri Lanka. They are also reported to be in touch with legal experts.

Sachin Tendulkar has many commitments to meet with Corporates who are not sponsors of the ICC events and it is natural to expect him to seek legal counsel before he decides the step he should take.

On Saturday, the BCCI President, Mr. Jagmohan Dalmiya suggested to the players that they sign the contract and that he would take up the sensitive issue with the ICC and find a solution to it before either October 31 or November 15.

Talking to The Hindu from Kolkata on Sunday he said: "I sympathise with the players. In a situation like this, one should be very patient. There are only two options (in the event of the players not signing the `Players' Terms') — one is to send a team (not the best team of course) and the other is not to send the team to Colombo. If the latter happens, then cricket will be jeopardised in the country. So that's not possible. But as I said, we have to be patient".

When specifically asked to be clear on his proposition that the ICC would be told that the Indian players approval is only for the Champions Trophy in Colombo and that he will take up the matter with the ICC, Mr. Dalmiya said: "Well, things can happen only step by step. You have to take the first step. The players are all adults and they understand everything. As I said before, we have to be a little more patient on such matters"

Mr. Dalmiya has waited for 72 hours and more to get an answer from the players with whom he has interacted and to whom he had addressed a letter. It looks as though the players may ask for more time to make up their mind before arriving at a decision and conveying it to the BCCI Chief.

From another part of the world, the Chief Executive of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003, Dr. Ali Bacher told The Hindu that he was "not anxious about the Full Members of the ICC not sending their best teams for Africa's first cricket World Cup"

"The Full Members have signed the `Participating Nations Agreement' and I am confident they will deliver by sending their best teams. Secondly the players will benefit by the substantial increase in prize money and also by the participation money of $8.8 million the `Full Members' will receive from the ICC. The prize money has been increased from US $ one million to US $ 5 million with the winner getting $2 million. It is also my feeling that a big sum of the guarantee money should be disbursed to the players", said Dr. Bacher from Johannerburg.

Talking further on the ICCs anti-ambush marketing measures he said: "The anti-ambush marketing laws need to be tightened in South Africa. I approached the Government 18 months ago and shortly a new legislation will be put before the Cabinet and thereafter the Parliament for approval. It will be passed before the World Cup. The South African government is fully backing us. Fundamental to the agreement between the ICC and the Global Cricket Corporation is that the sponsors of the Champions Trophy and World Cup have to be protected. They are pouring in millions of dollars, which will benefit the Boards, players, and umpires and help the development of the game in every country.''

"It's a huge agreement between the ICC and GCC. It's an unprecedented agreement. So the rights of the sponsors of the ICC event have to be protected. During the 1996 World Cup, a soft drink maker was a part-sponsor and what was happening was that some players were endorsing another soft-drink company. I think full protection has to be given to the ICC's partners. I am confident that the ICC and Players Associations and representatives will be able to settle the differences soon".

When asked as to why the ICC did not make public the conditions of its contract with the GCC, but sought commitments only from its Full Members, Dr. Bacher said: "I dont want to comment on this. I was not representing the United Cricket Board (UCB) then, I had already moved to the ICC World Cup 2003 organising committee as its Chief Executive. But I strongly feel that the ICC partners right have to be protected".

Majority of the international players want a solution to the present predicament they are. They have not allowed themselves to be cornered. Adam Gilchrist who was adjudged the `Cricketer of the Year' by the Federation of International Cricketers Association (FICA) has used words like "its a delicate situation" and that "we will come out with an equitable result".

Australia's captain for the one-dayers, Ricky Ponting has said that the players will do their best to settle disagreements between the ICC's and the players' personal sponsors. "We all want to play the game, but there are few issues that need to be sorted out".

Last year the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) signed a £8.7 million five-year contract with Hutchison Telecom (Orange) year that will enable the latter to broadcast action through mobile phones. MTN is one of the seven main sponsors for next year's World Cup in South Africa.

The United Cricket Board (UCB) Managing Director, Mr. Gerald Majola has supported the players. The England's chairman of selectors, David Graveney told BBC Sport Online that the players viewpoint must be respected. "Its a very complex scenario and the situation has left the players in a difficult position".

Former Sri Lankan fast bowler, Graeme Labrooy, who is the spokesmen for the Sri Lankan players, has said: "The game must go on, as we feel there will be give and take from both sides. The Sri Lankan players are being given legal advice. They are all in Morocco and hence have not signed the `Players Terms'. Many Sri Lankan players have personal endorsements that directly oppose the ICC sponsor".

The ICCs Corporate Manager Mr. Brendan McClements said that the Australian players receive 25 per cent of the revenue the ACB generates every year. Will the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) follow the same policy as the ACBs ?

While the ICC has been talking about tough anti-ambush laws that prevail in other sports, there have been instances of sportspersons defying the rules or circumventing it. Soccer star, Johan Cruyff refused to wear the adidas boots made under a contract with a German manufacturer in the 1974 World Cup final and also a Tee shirt with three stripes, which is the logo of adidas. He played with a Tee shirt with two stripes.

Then in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Michael Jordon covered the Reebok tracksuit he was in with the American flag, lest he offend his personal sponsor Nike during the presentation ceremony after the basketball final.

The Indian cricketers might be appearing to keep everybody in suspense. The feeling is that they should not be rushed into taking decisions. Those who have been picked to play for Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and England have not signed the `Players Terms' contract. If the Indians are asking for time, it must be given to them.

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