Notice to be sent to the ICC as a matter of abundant caution: Amitabh Choudhary

The Committee of Administrators (CoA) had, on Wednesday issued a fresh ultimatum to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) ahead of the Special General Meeting scheduled to be held on May 7. The CoA opined to the BCCI that there is no need for them to send a notice to the ICC seeking remedial measures as they had breached the Members Participation Agreement (MPA) held at the ICC board meeting in Dubai on April 26.

The MPA was created in 2014. It is a 63-page document which binds upon the ICC to fulfil certain obligations to the cricket boards of India, Australia and England. It also gives them the liberty to terminate the agreement at any point of time and boycott any international events held by the ICC from 2014 to 2023.

Acting general secretary of the BCCI, Amitabh Choudhary in his reply on the CoA stated that a notice should be sent to the ICC and that it gives the global governing body a chance to remedy the violation of the terms with regard to the MPA. The MPA contains a clause whereby on account of any breach made by either party to the agreement, the party causing the breach will have a 30-day deadline as to the rectify the breach committed.

Choudhary added that a notice to the ICC is not a monumental step; rather it’s a legal avenue which the BCCI must go through within a specific time frame so as to avail a legal recourse available to it. He cites the Members Participation Agreement which has become a key factor in the duel between BCCI and ICC.

“It is evident that the ICC-IBC has breached the clauses 6.4 (a), (c), (d) and (e) affecting the BCCI’s interests adversely,” he was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz. “The Members Participation Agreement is a legally binding document between ICC and all its members. The BCCI, it is understood, can revoke on the MPA if its interests are not protected”.

Choudhary has also stated in his letter that the claims by the CoA that the rights of the BCCI will be prejudiced in any manner by sending a notice to the ICC are baseless at present unless they establish any point to the contrary. It should also be noted that India has still not sent the team list for the Champions Trophy next month and that Choudhary in his letter has not expressed any indication as to when the selection meeting will be held.

At the ICC meeting held last month, ICC cut down BCCI’s revenue from a current value of $592 million to a proposed $293 million. BCCI was strictly upset with the turn of proceedings which has led up to the current situation. Choudhary also claims that they have the majority on their side and that they firmly believe sending a notice to the ICC is in their best interests.

– Written by Gokul Narayanan