ICC on the back foot as India rejects World Cup contracts

Kuldip Lal

December 10, 2002

NEW DELHI, Dec 10 AFP - India has rejected players' contracts for next year's World Cup, it was revealed today, leaving the sport's world governing body facing a showdown with its corporate partners.

The Indians will forego personal endorsements which conflict with official sponsors only during the February 8-March 23 tournament in southern Africa, instead of 30 days before and after the event as laid down in the contracts.

The cricketers will also allow their images to be used by sponsors for just two months after the event, instead of six as demanded by the International Cricket Council (ICC), sources told AFP.

With the Indians refusing to back down, the ICC faces the ire of its sponsors, who insisted on the ambush marketing clauses when signing a seven-year deal worth $US550 million ($A975 million).

The ICC can ill afford to displease both its sponsors and India, whose vast cricket-crazy television audiences have guaranteed the huge pay packet for the governing body.

At least three of the four major World Cup sponsors - Pepsi, LG Electronics and Hero Honda - have major commercial interests in India.

Official sources confirmed media reports that Jagmohan Dalmiya, president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), and Test spinner Anil Kumble, had told the ICC on Monday that the present contracts were unacceptable.

The governing body was represented at the Calcutta meeting by Dave Richardson, the ICC's general manager, and Ahmed Ibrahim, a member of the ICC committee appointed to resolve the contentious issue.

The Calcutta-based Telegraph newspaper said the BCCI's take-it-or-leave-it offer was likely to be accepted by the ICC, provided the official sponsors agree.

"Though pen may not be put to paper for the next fortnight, indications are that the ICC will eventually accept the package where the contentious clauses have been suitably amended," the Telegraph said.

The issue almost led to Indian stars like Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly boycotting the Champions Trophy in Colombo in September, before the ICC brokered a compromise by relaxing some of the conditions.

The Indians argue that the ICC cannot compel players to breach pre-existing contracts with individual sponsors. If challenged, the existing terms will not stand scrutiny in court.

India's tough stand enjoys the blessing of the Federation of International Cricketers Association (FICA), which earlier this year pleaded with players not to sign what it called "one-sided" contracts.

That the ICC is willing to concede ground - provided its sponsors agree - was hinted on Monday by Ibrahim, a retired judge from World Cup co-hosts Zimbabwe.

"Everyone wants India to field its best team at the World Cup, and to this end the ICC is ready to show a certain degree of flexibility," he said.

Ibrahim was confident the matter will be resolved in the next fortnight.

The ICC's troubles with India appear to be growing and are not confined to the contracts issue alone.

India is the only one among the 14 nations taking part in the World Cup which has not named its preliminary 30-man squad even though the deadline set by the ICC was November 30.

The Indians have also indicated they are unlikely to narrow down their 15-man World Cup team by the December 31 deadline.

The BCCI is planning World Cup trials after the current tour of New Zealand ends on January 14.

© 2002 AAP

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