News

WIPA happy with security arrangements in India

West Indies Players' Association has become the first players' organisation to give the green signal to their cricketers to take part in the IPL

Cricinfo staff
25-Feb-2010
The WIPA has given the go-ahead to the likes of Kieron Pollard and Chris Gayle to take part in the IPL  •  Getty Images

The WIPA has given the go-ahead to the likes of Kieron Pollard and Chris Gayle to take part in the IPL  •  Getty Images

The West Indies Players' Association (WIPA) has expressed satisfaction with the security arrangements being made for the IPL, becoming the first players' organisation to give the green signal to their cricketers to feature in the Twenty20 tournament.
Player safety has become a major issue after an independent report, commissioned by the players' unions in England, South Africa and Australia, had said there was a credible security threat to the IPL, and suggested moving the tournament out of India.
WIPA's comments backing the Caribbean players' participation in the 2010 edition comes a day after Lalit Modi, the IPL commissioner, had insisted the tournament would be held in India and strongly criticised those who had expressed security concerns.
"Apart from being in contact with a number of key IPL personnel, WIPA has also sought independent advice from organisations which have conducted similar security tests," WIPA said in a press release.
"WIPA is convinced that the organisers and the government are sparing no effort to ensure that players' welfare and security are not in any way compromised. WIPA will therefore support its players' participation in the IPL tournament."
Among those who have been most concerned over safety are Australian cricketers, whose players' association helped formulate a list of security demands for IPL organisers earlier this week following a meeting attended by a majority of Australian cricketers due to play in next month's tournament.
Tim May, the chief executive of the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations, had also warned earlier this week of a spate of player withdrawals from the IPL after the England team's security adviser Reg Dickason said the threat from the 313 Brigade was credible and that security could not be guaranteed in India.