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SGM agrees to adopt conciliatory approach. Secretary given free hand to negotiate financial matters
In a major climbdown from its earlier hawkish position, the Board of Control for Cricket in India decided to heed Committee of Administrators’ advice and not initiate any legal action against International Cricket Council. It decided to participate in ICC Champions Trophy. The team for the same will be announced in New Delhi on Monday.
In a statement issued by BCCI after a one-and-half-hour long meeting, which it deemed unanimous, BCCI said, “The Board unanimously authorised the acting Hony. Secretary of the BCCI to continue negotiations with the ICC in the best interest of the BCCI while keeping its legal options open. The BCCI Special General Meeting (SGM) unanimously decided that the Indian cricket team will participate in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy. The All-India Senior Selection Meeting will be held tomorrow, May 8, in New Delhi to pick the team.”
Even though they stand disqualified as per the Lodha Committee norms for eligibility, former BCCI president and secretary N. Srinivasan and Niranjan Shah participated in the SGM. Srinivasan, who is currently in Europe, came via skype while Shah was present in the meeting.
Srinivasan reportedly said he was not at war with ICC and wanted cricket to go on.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla said, “There is no pulling out, we are participating in the ICC. The secretary has been authorised to renegotiate with ICC as far as revenue model and governance model is concerned. No legal notice is concerned. We want a solution through discussion”.
Chairman of COA Vinod Rai, reacting to the decisions of SGM said, "Of course I am relieved that they are playing in Champions Trophy. Players knew we were going. I had spoken to Anil Kumble and Virat Kohli and told them we will be participating. There would be these unavoidable delays."
